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^ 


POPULAR  ^A^ORKS 


OF 

l^aptatn  Itllaral  ilad^ii, 

The  Soldier- Author. 


I.  Soldiers  of  the  Saddle, 

II.  Capture,  Prison-Pen,  and  Escape. 

III.  Battles  for  the  Union. 

IV.  Heroes  of  Three  Wars. 

V.  Peculiarities  of  American  Cities. 


Captain  Glazier's  works  are  growing  more  and  more 
popular  every  day.  Their  delineations  of  military  life, 
constantly  varying  scenes,  and  deeply  interesting  stories, 
combine  to  place  their  writer  iu  the  front  rank  of  Amer- 
ican anthorri. 


SOLD  ONLY  BY  SUBSCRIPTION. 

PERSONS  DESIRING  AGENCIES  FOR  ANY  OF  CAPTAIN  GLAZIER'S 
BOOKS  SHOULD  ADDRESS 

THE    JP-U-BHiISKEIi-S. 


J  J  J 


COMPRISING 


A  Series  of  Biographical. Sketches  of  the  most  Distinguished 

Soldiers  of  the  "War  of  the  Revolution,  the  "War  with 

Mexico,  and  the  AiVar  for  the  Union,  who  have 

contributed  by  their  valor  to  establish 

and  perpetuate  the  Republic  of 

the  United  States, 


CAPTAIN ,  WILL AED  GLAZIEE, 

AUTHOR  OF  "SOLDIERS  OF  THE  SADDLE,"     "CAPTURE,   PRiSON-PtN   AND  ESCAPE,"    "BATTLES 
FOR  THE  UNION,"    "  PECULIARITIES  OF  AMERICAN  CITIES,"   ETC..  CTO. 


%l\ntuM. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

HUBBARD  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS. 
733  SANSOM   STREET. 

1880. 


^ 

Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1878,  by 
WILLARD  GLAZIER, 

^ 

» 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

» 

m 


TO 

General  William  Tecumseh  Sherman, 

HERO  OF  THREE  WARS, 

W^HOSE  Grandest  Campaign,  his  March  Through  Georgia,  and  the  Caroukas, 

OPENED  AN   Avenue  of  Escape  for  Thousands  of  Captives  in  Rebel 

Stockades,  and  among  them  the  Author,  who  in  Admiration 

OP  A  Valiant  Soldier,  and  in  Gratitude  to  the  Strong 

Arm  that  led  the  Boys  in  Blue  from  Atlanta 

TO  the  Sea,  Dedicates 

5ll]is  Doluine 

As  a  Tribute  to  his  Genius  and  Patriotism. 

WILLABD  GLAZIER. 


:T.R8B 


Preface. 


If  the  genius  and  valor  of  Washington  and  his  com- 
patriots gave  us  a  Republic,  the  hero  of  Chippewa 
nM  less  nobly  accomplished  the  second  conquest  of 
Mt^xico.  General  Scott  and  his  invincible  army,  the 
heroes  of  Monterey,  Cerro  Gordo,  Palo  Alto  and  Buena 
Vista,  displayed  all  the  best  qualities  of  commanders 
and  soldiers.  Sieges  were  conducted  and  cities  cap- 
tured which  were  considered  impregnable,  with  a  force 
apparently  inadequate  for  a  forlorn  hope.  They  fought 
pitched  battles  and  won  them,  opposing  fresh  recruits 
to  veteran  troops.  They  accomj^lished  marches  over 
routes  before  considered  utterly  impassable ;  captured 
fortresses  bristling  with  cannon  by  means  of  the  rifle 
and  bayonet,  and  planted  the  Star  Spangled  Banner 
upon  the  proud  "Halls  of  Montezuma." 

In  the  great  war  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union, 
Grant,  Sherman,  Sheridan,  Thomas,  Meade,  and  the 
grand  galaxy  of  brave  hearts  that  rallied  around  their 
standards,  gloriously  vindicated  the  cause  of  freedom 
on  the  battle-fields  of  the  Rebellion. 

Washington,  Scott  and  Grant  are  names  that  will 
live  forever  in  our  history ;  not  because  they  were  the 
subjects  of  a  blind  adulation,  but  because  their  worth 
was  properly  estimated,  and  their  deeds  truthfully  re- 
corded. The  time  for  deifying  men  has  long  since 
passed;  we  prefer  to  see  them  as  they  are — though 
great,  still  human,  and  surrounded  with  human  infirm- 

(7) 


/ 


8  PREFACE. 

ities;  worthy  of  immortal  renown,  not  because  they 
are  unlike  us,  but  because  they  excel  us  and  have  per- 
formed a  work  which  entitles  them  to  the  lasting 
gratitude  of  their  countrymen. 

Another  object  of  this  book  is  to  group  around  these 
three  generals  those  officers  and  men  who  climbed  to 
immortality  by  their  side,  shared  their  fortunes,  helped 
to  win  their  victories,  and  remained  with  them  to  the 
end. 

Many  brave  and  worthy  officers  and  soldiers  might 
be  added  to  the  list  I  have  selected,  but  the  introduc- 
tion of  every  meritorious  soldier  would  make  the  work 
too  cumbersome  for  my  purpose,  unless  the  biographies 
were  reduced  to  mere  encyclopaedia  articles. 

Much  pains  has  been  taken  to  have  these  sketches 
complete  without  being  heavy,  to  give  the  leading 
qualities,  peculiar  traits  and  distinguishing  character- 
istics of  the  subjects  presented. 

Biographies  possess  but  little  value  unless  they  give 
living  portraits,  so  that  each  man  stands  out  clear  and 
distinct  in  his  true  character  and  proportions.  A  care- 
ful study  of  the  wars  herein  discussed  leads  me  to  feel 
that  I  can  place  my  effort  before  the  public  without 
the  fear  of  being  charged  with  egotism.  Whatever  the 
verdict  ma}^  be,  the  gallant  heroes  embraced  in  these 
pages  "  deserve  well  of  their  country,"  and  richly  merit 
all  the  honor  they  have  so  nobly  won. 

WILLARD    GLAZIER. 

Philadelphu,  June  24th,  1878. 


Contents. 

CHAPTEK  I. 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 

Ancestral  Lines. — Saxon  Origin  of  Name. — Family  Coat  of  Arras. — 
Emigration  to  Virginia. — Birth  and  Childhood. — School  Life. — ■ 
The  Young  Surveyor. — Commissioned  Major. — A  Six-PIundred- 
]\Iile  Journey. — Battle  at  Fort  Necessity. — Braddock's  Defeat  and 
Death. — Falling  in  Love. — Marriage  with  the  Widow  Custis. — 
Opening  Scenes  in  the  Revolution. — Appointed  Commander  in- 
Chief. — Meeting  the  Army  at  Cambridge. — The  Declaration. — The 
Long,  Long  War. — Retreat  Through  the  Jerseys. — Crossing  the 
Delaware. — Battle  of  Princeton. — Monmouth. — Close  of  the  Revo- 
lution.— Farewell  to  Companions-in-Arms. — As  President  of  the 
United  States 21 

CHAPTER   II. 

JOSEPH    WAKREN. 

Birthplace  of  Warren. — School  Days. — Graduation  at  Harvard. — 
Studying  Medicine. — Warren  as  a  Physician. — The  "  Sons  of 
Liberty." — Warren's  Activity  in  Politics. — Boston  Massacre. — 
Oration  at  the  Old  South  Church. — Liberty's  Advocate. — The 
Tea  Party. — Faneuil  Hall  Meeting. — Fourth  Anniversary  of  Bos- 
ton Massacre. — Second  Oration. — Fears  of  Assassination. — The 
Crisis  Met. — Paul  Revere's  Ride. — Warren's  Presentiment. — 
Battle  of  Bunker  Hill.— Death  of  Warren.— *"Tis  Sweet  for 
One's  Country  to  Die." — Honors  to  his  Memory. — Bunker  Hill 
Monument 43 

CHAPTER  III. 

NATHANIEL   GREENE. 

Birthplace  and  Ancestry. — Work  at  the  Plough  and  the  Anvil. — 
Studying  Euclid  over  the  Forge. — Education  under  Disadvantages. 
— Lindley  Murray  and  Dr.  Styles. — Love  of  the  Dance. — Ingenious 
Shingle  Device.— Marriage.— On  the  Road  to  Lexington.— Made  a 

(ix) 


CONTENTS. 

Major-General. — Expelled  from  the  Quakers. — Sick  in  Camp. — At 
Trenton. — The  Brandy  wine. — Greene's  Bravery. — Germantown. 
— Tlie  Fight  through  t'he  Fog. — Valley  Forge  and  Monmouth. — 
The  Army  of  the  South. — The  Long  Chase  of  Cornwallis. — Siege 
of  Ninety-six. — Retirement 54 


CIIAPTEE    IV. 

LAFAYETTE. 

Noble  Lineage  of  the  Marquis. — Early  Surroundings. — A  Member 
of  the  King's  Regiment. — Commissioned  at  Fifteen. — Marriage. — 
The  Dinner  at  Metz. — Noble  Resolve. — Preparations  to  Sail  for 
America. — Obstacles  Everywhere. — Voyage  of  the  "  Victory." — 
Arrival. — Home  of  Benjamin  Huger. — Journey  to  Philadelphia. 
— Fighting  for  Liberty. — Battle  of  Brandywine. — Services  in  the 
Revolution. — Arnold  and  Lafayette. — Return  to  France. — Visit  to 
the  United  States. — Terrors  of  tlie  French  Revolution. — Flight 
and  Imprisonment. — The  Magdeburg  Dungeon. — Liberated  by 
Napoleon. — Visit  to  the  United  States  in  1824. — Joyful  Welcome. 
— The  Citizen  King  of  the  French. — Last  Days  of  Lafayette.     61 


CHAPTER   V. 

ISRAEL  PUTNAM. 

Ancestry  of  Putnam. — Boyhood  Days. — Marriage. — Removal  to 
Pomfret. — Adventure  with  the  Wolf. — Seven  Years'  War. — Put- 
nam in  Command  of  a  Company. — Adventures  along  the  Hudson. 
— Surprised  by  Indians. — Down  the  Rapids. — Indian  Superstition. 
— Putnam  at  the  Stake. — The  Rescue. — The  Guns  of  Lexington. 
■ — The  Plow  Exchanged  for  the  Sword. — Murray  Hill  and  the 
Quakeress. — Putnam's  Rapid  Rise  in  the  Army. — Ruse  at  Prince-* 
ton. — Escape  at  Horseneck. — Paralysis. — The  Last  of  Earth.— 
Eulogiums 74 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ETHAN  ALLEN. 

Birthplace  of  Allen. — The  New  Hampshire  Grants. — The  Green 
Mountain  Boys. — Ethan  Allen  a  Leader. — Price  on  his  Head. — 
Allen's  Fearlessness. — The  Revolution. — Capture  of  Ticonderoga. 
— Benedict  Arnold's  Part  in  the  Affair. — Allen  in  Canada. — The 
Army  of  Invasion. — Plans  for  the  Capture  of  Montreal. — The 
Fatal  Snare. — Allen  a  Prisoner. — Brutal  Treatment  by  British 
Officers. — In  Falmouth,  England. — The  Gentlemen  of  Cork. — 
Exchanged. — Liberty  and  the  Green  Mountains  Once  More. — 
Joyful  Welcome. — Allen  Again  Fightiqg  the  Battles  of  Young 
Vermont. — Review  of  his  Character 87 


CONTENTS.  xi 

CHAPTER  VII. 

FRANCIS  MARION. 

The  Ruguenot  Blood  of  Marion. — Boyhood  Days. — Early  Adven- 
tures.— The  Shipwreck. — Battle  with  Cherokee  Indians. — Marion 
Leads  the  Forlorn  Hope. — The  Bloody  Pass. — He  Leaves  Con- 
gress for  the  Army. — Fame  of  Marion's  Men. — Battle  around 
Savannah. — The  Williamsburg  Band. — Marion's  Brigade. — The 
Camp  in  the  Swamp. — Successful  Surprises. — The  Dinner  in  the 
Woods. — Tarleton  and  the  Swamp-Fox. — Song  of  Marion's  Men. 
— Fighting  for  Liberty  without  Clothes  or  Food. — Marriage. — 
Closing  Scenes 106 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

JOHN  PAUL  JONES. 

The  Sailor-Boy  of  Solway  Frith. — Ancestry. — Boyish  Pursuits. — His 
First  Voyage. — Rapid  Rise  in  the  Marine  Service. — In  Virginia. 
— America  his  Adopted  Country. — Created  an  Officer  of  the 
United  States. — Adventures  on  the  Sea. — The  Terror  of  the  Eng- 
lish.— Action  of  the  "Bon  Homme  Richard"  and  "Serapis." 
— Glorious  Generalship. — Surrender  of  the  English  Ship. — Fame 
of  the  Chevalier  Paul  Jones. — The  Gold  Sword  and  the  Cross  of 
Merit. — American  Prisoners  Liberated.— «A.t  the  Courts  of  Den- 
mark and  Russia. — Last  Days  of  the  Hero 118 

CHAPTER    IX. 

THADDEUS  KOSCIUSZKO. 

Early  History  of  Kosciuszko. — Education  in  the  Art  of  War. — An 
Affair  of  the  Heart. — Exile. — Position  on  Washington's  Stafi". — 
Siege  of  Ninety-Six, — Service  in  Poland. — Dictator  and  General- 
issimo.— Battle  of  Raczlawice. — Victory  Followed  by  Defeat. — ■ 
Decisive  Battle  of  Maciejowice. — Overwhelmed  by  Superior 
Numbers. — "Finis.  Polonjie!" — Imprisonment. —  Freedom  Re- 
gained.— Retirement  at  Foniainebleau. — The  Fall  from  the  Preci- 
pice.— Closing  Scenes 140 

CHAPTER   X. 

HUGH  MERCER. 

The  Moors  of  Culloden. — The  Assistant-Surgeon  of  the  Highland 
Army. — Emigration  to  Pennsylvania. — Indian  Wars. — Wounded 
and  Alone. — Outbreak  of  the  Revolution. — The  Fredericksburg 
Home. — Farewells. — Days  of  '76. — First  Campaign. — A  Gloomy 
Time. — Influence  of  Washington. — Across  the  Delaware. — Affairs 
in  Philadelphia. — Putnam's  Order. — Hasty  Adjournment  of  Con- 
gress.— Change  of  Policy. — Attack  on  Trenton. — Victory. — The 
Night  March  on  Princeton, — Desperate  Fighting. — Ten  to  One. — 
Mercer  Mortally  Wounded. — The  Farm-House  Scene. — Last 
Moments. — Victory  and  Death 145 


Xii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

ANTHONY  WAYNE. 

Birth  and  Ancestry. — Youthful  Bent  Towards  Military  Studies.— 
Marriage. — Beginning  of  Public  Life.— In  the  Legislature. — 
Commissioned  as  Colonel. — Expedition  to  Canada. — At  Brandy- 
wine. — Engagement  of  Germantown. — Service  at  Valley  Forge. — 
Monmouth.— Storming  of  Stony  Point.— Splendid  Victory.— 
Revolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line. — Investment  of  Yorktown. — 
War  with  the  Indians. — Peace  Commissioner. — Death  at  Presque 
Isle. — Monument  of  the  Cincinnati 153 

CHAPTER   XII. 

JOHN  STAKK. 

Chivalrous  Character  of  Stark. — Incident  of  Bunker  Hill. — Birth- 
place and  Early  Life.— The  Young  Hunter.— On  a  Trapping 
Excursion. — Captured  by  the  Indians. — On  the  Way  to  St.  Fran- 
cis.— Running  the  Gauntlet. — Admiration  of  the  Tribe  for  the 
White  Hunter.— He  is  made  a  Chief.— Seven  Years'  War.— New 
Hampshire  Rangers. — Battle  in  the  Snow. — Brilliant  Fighting 
of  Stark. — Promoted. — The  Guns  of  liCxington.-The  Muster  at 
Medford. — Advance  on  Trenton.— Princeton. — Re-enlistment. — 
Popularity  of  Stark. — Under  a  Cloud.— Defence  of  Vermont- 
Battle  of  Bennington.— Close  of  the  War.— 1812.— The  Warrior's 
Last  Sleep 160 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Lineage  and  Early  Life. — A  Captain  of  Artillery.— Court-Mar- 
tialled.  —  Queenstown  Heights.  —  Tomahawks. — Fort  George. — 
Battle  of  Chippewa. — Lundy's  Lane. — AVounded. — Public  En- 
thusiasm.— Through  a  Score  of  Y^ears. — War  in  Mexico. — Vera 
Cruz. — "Don't  Expose  Yourselves,  Men  !  "— Cerro  Gordo. — At 
Puebla. —  Churubusco. —  Contreras. —  Chapultepec. —  Molino  del 
Rey. — City  of  Mexico  Taken. — Grand  Plaza  Scene. — Results. — 
"Hail  to  the  Chief!" 173 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

ZACHARY  TAYLOR. 

His  Characteristics.— Duty,  his  Constant  Watchword.— Lineage.— 
Early  IMantation  Life. — Indian  Foes. — Lieutenant  in  the  United 
States  Armv. — At  Fort  Harrison. — Battle  with  Tecumseh.— 
Brevet  Major.— The  Florida  War.— Okeechobee.— Ordered  to 
Corpus  Christi.— Palo  Alto.— Resaca  de  la  Pal  ma.— Promoted  to 
Major-General. — At  Monterey. — Bloody  Buena  Vista. — Colonel 
Marshall's  Opinion.— General  Taylor's  Dislike  for  a  Uniform. — 
Ovations  on  his  Return. — Elected  President.— Stern  Death. — 
Last  Scenes. — Universal  Sorrow 188 


CONTENTS.  ^JU 

CHAPTEE  XV. 

WILLIAM  JENKINS  WOBTH. 

^w^  ^^^.T-.^!;^  Y^^.«f,1812.-At  West  Point—The  Seminole 
J  ~^  Vl"^  Taylor  in  Mexico.— At  Monterey.— Given  an  Inde- 
pendent Command.— Description  of  the  Assault.— His  General- 
ship.—Storming  of  Federacion  Hill.— Conducting  the  Capitula- 
tion.—At  Vera  Cruz.— Perote  and  Puebla.— Capture  of  El 
Mohno  del  Key.— Storming  of  Chapultepec.—Bre vetted  Major- 
ireneral. — Monument  in  Madison  Square 203 

CHAPTEE  XVI. 

JOHN  E.  WOOL. 

War  of  1812.— Wool's  Volunteer  Corps.— Captaincy  in  the  Thir- 
teenth.—Bravery  at  Queenstown.— Death  of  General  Brock.— 
Battle  of  Plattsburg.— Promoted  for  Gallantry.— Letter  from 
President  Madison.— Another  Promotion.— Mexican  War.— The 
March  to  Monclova.-Capture  of  Parras.-^The  Mission  of 
Mercy.-Buena  Vista.-Wool  Entrusted  with  the  Details.- 
Birthplace-A\here  he  Died.-Fortress  Momoe.-Hic  JaceL— 
llie  Chief  s  War  Horse.— Military  Funeral 209 

CHAPTEE  XVII. 

SAM  HOUSTON. 

Early  History.-Scotch  Ancestry. -Birthplace.-School  Days  in 
the  Forest-Hard  Work  on  the  Farm.-Homer's  Iliad.-Off  to 
the  Woods -Among  the  Cherokees.-Military  Service.-The 
Soldier  under  Jackson.-Battle  of  the  Horse-Shoe.-Desperate 
Brayery.-Wounded.-Promotion.-Eole  as  a  Lawyer.-Eises 
Eapidly  to  Distinction.-The  Domestic  Cloud.-Eeturn  to  the 
iTth^'^^r^'fZ  ^°  Texas  -Houston  as  General. -Massacre 
of  the  Alamo.-Battle  of  San  Jacinto.-The  Young  Eepublic  and 
her  President.-Annexation.-In  the  United  S?ates  Senate- 
Houston  as  Governor.— Last  Days. 212 

CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

JAMES  SHIELDS. 

The  Land  of  his  Nativity.-First  Army  Experience.-The  Mexi- 
can War-cloud.-Promotion.-The  March  through  Mexico.-At 
Cerro  Gordo.-Brilliant  Achievement.-Wounded  unto  Death - 
The  Stormmg  of  Contreras.-Aid  to  Sraith.-A  Generous  Piece 
of  Conduct.-Chapultepec.-Under  a  Galling  Fire.-Eefuses  to 
^Zt  't/w^  though  Wpunded.-HisEeturn  to  the  United 
"  Ifnn  ~^P'  7^f  ""^  Rebelhon.-The  Spring  of  '62.-Defeat  of 
btonewall     Jackson.— Leaving  the  Army 227 


Xiv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

CHARLES  MAY. 

Colonel  May  a  Native  of  Washington. — Commissioned  a  Lieutenant 
by  President  Jackson. — Ordered  to  Florida. — Participates  in  the 
Capture  of  the  Indian  Chief  Philip. — Opening  of  the  Mexican 
War. — Joins  General  Taylor. — Co-operates  with  Captain  Walker. 
— Famous  Charge  at  Resaca  de  la  Palraa. — Gallant  Conduct  at 
Buena  Vista. — Returns  to  the  United  States 230 

CHAPTER   XX. 

ULYSSES  S.  GRANT. 

The  Grants  of  the  Early  Scotch  Monarchy. — Family  Crests. — 
Direct  Ancestry. — Boyhood. — Feats  of  Horsemanship. — Loading 
Wood. — Old  "  Dave  "  and  Young  Ulysses. — At  West  Point. — 
Experience  in  Mexican  War. — Marriage. — Resigns  His  Com- 
mission.— In  the  Leather  Business. — Beginning  of  Last  War. — 
Recruiting  a  Company. — Battle  of  Belmont. — Cairo  Expedition. 
— Fort  Donelson.  —  Shiloh. —  Vicksburg. —  Chattanooga. —  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  Lookout  Mountain. — Opinions  of  a  Sachem. 
— The  Last  Campaign. —  Lee's  Surrender.  —  Elected  and  Re- 
elected  President 245 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN. 

Distinguishing  Characteristic  of  Political  Revolutions. — Birth  of 
General  Sherman.— Suddenly  Left  an  Orphan. — Adopted  by 
Hon.  Thomas  Ewing. — Sent  to  West  Point. — Ordered  to  Califor- 
nia.— Becomes  a  Banker. — Is  Made  President  of  the  Louisiana 
Military  Academy. — Opposed  to  Secession. — Tenders  his  Resig- 
nation.— Assists  in  Organizing  Troops  for  the  Suppression  of  the 
Rebellion.— At  Bull  Run.— At  Shiloh,  Pittsburgh  Landing,  Chat- 
tanooga and  Missionary  Ridge. — Defeats  Hood. — From  Atlanta 
to  the  Sea. — Campaign  of  the  Carolinas. — Receives  the  Surrender 
of  Johnston. — Enthusiastic  Reception  at  Washington.     .     .     263 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN. 

Impetuosity  of  Character. — A  Poor  Irish  Boy. — At  West  Point. — 
Wild  Conduct. — Graduation. — Service  in  Western  Territories. — 
Captain  of  the  Thirteenth  Infantry. — Quarter-master  under  Hal- 
leck.— As  a  Cavalry  Officer. — Battle  of  Booneville. — Promotion 
to  Brigadier-General. — Murfreesboro'. — At  Chickamauga  and 
Missionary  Ridge. — In  Pursuit  of  Early. — Cedar  Creek. — Sheri- 
dan's Ride. — The  Victory. — At  Five  Forks  and  Appomattox. — 
After  the  War 278 


CONTENTS.  XV 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

GEORGE  BRINTON  MCCLELLAN. 

Birth  and  Education.— In  the  Mexican  War.— Services  in  Surveys 
of  Railroad  Routes.— A  Model  Report.— Sent  to  the  Crimea.— 
Superintendent  of  the  Illinois  Central. — Response  to  Governor 
Dennison.— Over  the  Department  of  the  Ohio.— Virginia  Cam- 
paigns.— In  Command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. — Movement 
to  the  Peninsula. — Siege  of  Yorktown. — Army  Withdrawn. — 
McClellan's  Letter.— Again  in  Command  of  the  Potomac  Army. 
— South  Mountain  and  Antietam. — Relieved  of  his  Command  at 
Warrenton. — Nominated  for  the  Presidency. — In  Europe. — Gov- 
ernor of  New  J  ersey 287 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSIDE. 

His  Scotch  Blood.— Graduates  at  West  Point.— In  New  Mexico.— 
As  an  Inventor.— Marching  to  the  Front.— At  Bull  Run.— Pro- 
motion.—In  Command  of  the  North  Carolina  Expedition.— 
Capture  of  Newbern,  Fort  Macon  and  Beaufort. — At  Antietam. 
—Slaughter  at  Fredericksburg.— Tenders  his  Resignation.— 
Brilliant  Capture  of  East  Tennessee.  — Before  Petersburg.— 
Elected  Governor  of  Rhode  Island.— In  Congress.    ...      298 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

GEORGE  HENRY  THOMAS. 

A  Second  Washington. —  Birth  and  Education.  —  Promotion  for 
Bravery.  —  In  Mexico.  —  Prompt  Response  at  the  Outbreak  of 
Civil  War.— The  Battle  of  Mill  Spring.— Declines  to  Supersede 
Buell. — At  Murfreesboro'. — Chickamauga. — Position  of  Troops 
Under  Thomas.— Their  Firm  Stand.— "The  Rock  of  Chicka- 
mauga."— At  Chattanooga. — The  Atlanta  Campaign. — Grant's 
Telegram.— Battle  of  Nashville. — Thanks  of  Congress  and  Gold 
Medal.— End  of  the  War.— Goes  to  the  Pacific  Coast.    .     .    304 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

JOSEPH  HOOKER. 

Lookout  Mountain.— The  Battle  Above  the  Clouds.— The  Splendor 
of  Victory. — The  Strange  Thanksgiving  Day. — Taylor's  Descrip- 
tion.— The  Old  Flag  at  the  Top. — General  'Howard  in  Lookout 
Valley.— Hooker  at  Chattanooga.— The  Peninsular  Campaign.— 
"Fighting  Joe." — Wounded. — Chief  in  Command.— Chancellors- 
ville. — The  Atlanta  Campaign. — Promotion  of  Howard. — Hooker 
Resigns  in  Consequence. — Mustered  out  of  Service.     .     .     .    314 


xvi  COI^^TENTS. 

CHAPTEK  XXVIl. 

GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE. 

Ancestry.— A  Fragment  of  Eventful  History.— Birth  in  Spain.— At 
West  Point.— In  the  Florida  War.— In  the  Mexican  War. — His 
Part  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign. — At  Antietam.- — In  Command 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. — A  Kemarkable  Order. — At  Get- 
tysburg.— The  Desperate  Last  Effort. — His  Report.— Congrat- 
ulatory Address. — Thanks  of  Congress. — Advance  to  the  Rappa- 
hannock.— Close  Friendship  between  Meade  and  Grant. — Over 
the  Atlantic  Department. — Death  in  Philadelphia.     .     .     .     326 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

HENRY  WARNER  SLOCUM. 

Birth  and  Education. — A  Lawyer  in  Syracuse.— On  the  War-Path. 
— In  the  Chickahominy.— At  Antietam,  South  Mountain  and 
Chancellorsville.— The  Field  of  Gettysburg.— The  Repulse  of 
EwelFs  Troops. — In  Tennessee. — Commanding  the  Vicksburg 
District.  — The  Georgia  Campaign.  — Marching  through  the 
Enemy's  Country.— Battle  of  Bentonville.— A  Splendid  Fight- 
Genius  of  Slocum 332 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 

JAMES  BIRDSEYE  MCpHERSON. 

His  Ability.— Ancestry  and  Early  Life.— Superior  Scholarship  at 
West  Point. — In  New  York  Harbor.— On  the  Pacific  Coast. — 
Sent  to  Boston  Harbor. — Slow  Promotion. — On  Halleck's  Staff'. — 
Services  at  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson.— Engineering  Work  at 
Corinth.  — His  First  Independent  Command.  — Vicksburg.— 
Grant's  Endorsement.— With  Sherman.— In  Command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee.— Postponement  of  Marriage.— March  to 
the  Sea.— Battle  with  Hood.— His  Death.— Grant's  Letter.      337 

CHAPTER   XXX. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK. 

The  Brilliant  Charge  at  Williamsburg.— Popular  Favor.— Birth 
and  Early  Training.— In  the  Mexican  War.— The  Florida  Cara- 
paian,— Ordered  to  Washington.— At  Antietam.— Fredericksburg 
and  Chancellorsville.  —  His  Stand  at  Gettysburg.  —  Cemetery 
Hill.— Wounded.— In  the  Last  Grant  Campaign.— Battle  at  Ely  s 
Ford.— Assault  of  Mav  Twelfth.— Capture  of  Stuart.—"  I  Dechne 
to  Take  Your  Hand."— In  Charge  of  the  Veteran  First  Corps  — 
In  the  Shenandoah  Valley.— Characteristics 347 


CONTENTS.  xvii 

CHAPTEK    XXXI. 

'    JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT. 

The  Hundred  Days  in  Missouri. — Birth  and  Early  Life. — On  Board 
the  "Natchez." — Beginning  to  be  an  Explorer. — Marriage  with 
Jessie  Benton. — Westward  Ho ! — Discoveries. — Conquest  of  Cali- 
fornia.— Across  the  Continent. — Senator  from  California. — In 
Command  of  the  Western  Department. — Causes  of  Removal. — 
Presidential  Candidate. — An  Extraordinarv  Ride. — What  He 
Achieved .' 352 

CHAPTER   XXXII. 

OLIVER  OTIS  HOWARD. 

The  Christian  Soldier. — Early  Life. — Off  to  the  Wars. — Bravery  in 
Battle. — Loss  of  an  Arm. — Antietam. — Fredericksburg. — Chan- 
cellorsville. — Gettysburg. — The  Atlanta  Campaign. — Chief  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee. — Convalescence. — His  Religious  Con- 
victions,— Story  of  a  Wagon-Master. — In  Charge  of  the  Freed- 
man's  Bureau. — Sherman's  Letter 357 

CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

DAVID  GLASCOE  FARRAGUT. 

The  Power  of  the  Navy, — Early  Years  of  Farragut. — Remarkable 
Instance  of  Boyish  Bravery. — Forty-eight  Years  of  Quiet  Life. — 
Union  Sentiments. —  Extract  from  Private  Letter. — Castilian 
Ancestry. — Naval  Combats  on  the  Mississippi. — Capture  of  New 
Orleans. — The  Bay  Fight  at  Mobile. — Lashed  to  the  Mast  in  the 
"  Hartford." — Official  Tour  of  European  Ports. — Personal  Habits 
ofFarragut 361 

CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

FRANZ  SIGEL. 

Early  Military  Education  and  Career. — Espousal  of  the  Cause  of 
the  Revolutionists. — Exiled. — Arrival  in  the  United  States. — 
Life  Previous  to  the  W^ar. — A  Volunteer  in  the  Union  Army. — 
His  Military  Ability.— At  Wilson's  Creek.— The  Battle  of  Pea 
Ridge. — Fighting  Against  Enormous  Odds. — Splendid  Skill  Ex- 
hibited b}^  Sigel. — Difficulties  with  Halleck. — New  York  Indig- 
nation Meeting. — In  Command  at  Harper's  Ferry. — Battle  of 
Newmarket. — Close  of  Military  Career.     .......    368 

CHAPTER   XXXV. 

HUGH  JUDSON  KILPATRICK. 

Born  for  the  Cavalry. — Romance  of  Early  Life. — Married  on  the 
Eve  of  Going  to  the  Front. — Her  Name  on  his  Banner. — Big 
Bethel. — Wounded. — To  the  Front  again. — Falmouth  Heights. — ■ 


^yiii  CONTENTS. 


Kilpatriek's  First  Famous  Raid.— Brandy  Station.—"  Men  of 
Maine,  Follow  Me !  "—Aldic— Gettysburg.— Night  Battle  at 
Monterey.— New  Baltimore.— Attempt  to  Rescue  Prisoners.— 
Atlanta  Campaign.— Resaca.— Wounded.— Georgia  Campaign.— 
Waynesboro'.— At  Savannah.— Sherman's  Letter.— Promotion^. 
—In  the  Carolinas.— Close  of  the  War 375 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

PHILIP  KEARNY. 

Birthplace.- Where  Educated.— In  Europe.— Fighting  Abroad.— 
Honors.— Participates  in  the  Mexican  War. — Loss  of  an  Arm.— 
In  Europe  Again.— At  Magenta  and  Solferino. — At  the  Front  in 
our  Last  War.— Bravery  at  Williamsburg. — Promotion. — Kear- 
ny's Power  over  his  Men.— The  Battle  of  Chantilly.— Death's 
Sad  Eclipse.—"  Lay  Hiai  Low." 387 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

NATHANIEL   LYON. 

Of  Soldier  Ancestry.— Early  Childhood.— Graduates  at  West  Point, 

In  the  Mexican  War.— On   the  Frontier.— Rescue  of  the  St. 

Louis  Arsenal. — Given  the  Chief  Command  in  Missouri. — At 
Wilson's  Creek.— Fighting  Against  Terrible  Odds.— Twice 
Wounded.— The  Last  Charge.— Lyon's  Fall.— His  Civilian's 
Dress. — Funeral  Honors. — The  Sorrowful  Multitudes. — Funeral 
Oration  at  Eastford.— Resolutions  of  Respect 391 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

ELMER  EPHRAIM  ELLSWORTH. 

"  How  Knightly  looked  he  as  he  rode  to  Hounds !  "—Character.— 
An  Enthusiast  in  Military  Science.— The  French  Zouave  Tac- 
tics.—A  Noble  Ambition.— Early  Struggles.— The  Chicago 
Zouaves.— Their  Perfection  of  Drill  and  Character.— A  Tour  of 
Triumph. — In  New  York. — A  Favorite  of  Lincoln. — The  War 
Clarion. — New  York  Fire  Zouaves.— Sword  Presentations. — In 
the  South. — Last  Night  at  Alexandria. — Letter  Home. — The 
Dread  Tragedy.— Universal  Grief.  —  Lincoln's  Sorrow.— The 
Genius  of  Ellsworth 39S 


Paqb 

PORTRAIT  OF  THE  AUTHOR  (Steel) Frontispiece. 

HEROES  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 20 

WASHINGTON  CROSSING  THE  DELAWARE 37 

PUTNAM   RESCUED   BY   MOLANG 77 

FIGHT— SERAPIS  AND  BON  HOMME  RICHARD 129 

HEROES   OF  THE  MEXICAN  WAR 171 

SCOTT  ATTACKED  BY  TWO  INDIAN  CHIEFS 175 

HOUSTON  CATCHING   THE  SOUND  OF  BATTLE 221 

MAY'S  CHARGE  AT  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA 233 

HEROES   OF  THE   REBELLION 243 

SCENE  AT  THE  SIEGE  OF  VICKSBURG 255 

SHERMAN'S  MARCH  THROUGH  GEORGIA 271 

GENERAL  THOMAS  AT  CHICKAMAUGA 309 

DEATH  OF  GENERAL  McPHERSON 343 

FARRAGUT  LASHED  TO  THE  MAST  AT  MOBILE 365 

(19) 


PAET   FIRST. 


©k  Mm  4  tk  SM0ltttmir. 


SUBJECTS: 

Chapter  Page 

I.  GEOEGE  WASHINGTON 21 

II.  JOSEPH  WARREN 43 

III.  NATHANIEL    GREENE 54 

IV.  GILBERT   MOTTIER  LAFAYETTE 61 

V.  ISRAEL  PUTNAM 74 

VL  ETHAN  ALLEN 87 

VIL  FRANCIS  MARION 106 

VIIL  JOHN  PAUL  JONES 118 

IX.  THADDEUS   KOSCIUSZKO ; 140 

X.  HUGH  MERCER I45 

XL  ANTHONY  WAYNE I53 

XIL  JOBii    STARK 160 

(20) 


HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

CHAPTER   I. 
CEORGE    A^^ASHINGTON, 

Ancestral  Lines. — Saxon  Origin  of  Name. — Family  Coat  of  Arms. — 
Emigration  to  Virginia. — Birth  and  Childhood. — School  Life. — 
The  Young  Surveyor. — Commissioned  Major. — A  Six-Hundred- 
Mile  Journey. — Battle  at  Fort  Necessity. — Braddock's  Defeat  and 
Death. — Falling  in  Love. — Marriage  with  the  Widow  Custis. — 
Opening  Scenes  in  the  Revolution. — Appointed  Commander-in- 
Chief. — Meeting  the  Army  at  Cambridge. — The  Declaration. — The 
Long,  Long  War. — Retreat  Through  the  Jerseys. — Crossing  the 
Delaware. — Battle  of  Princeton. — Monmouth. — Close  of  the  Revo- 
lution.— Farewell  to  Companions-in-Arms. — As  President  of  the 
United  States. 

THIS  wonderful  Life  is  enveloped  in  the  pure  rays 
of  a  fame  which  can  find  no  equal :  in  which 
Justice  became  embodied  as  a  noble  passion  united  to 
a  nobler  fortitude :  the  channel  of  whose  genius  was 
world-wide — like  the  ocean,  toucliing  all  shores:  every- 
where the  liberator  and  firm  champion  of  duty,  which, 
to  him,  was  the  only  gateway  to  glory :  standing 
fearlessly  in  the  breach,  in  defence  of  young  Liberty, 
when  the  despotism  of  decay  and  king-craft  attempted 
its  destruction :  the  wise  architect  of  a  nation's 
destiny,  laying  deep  its  foundations  in  universal  law 
as  the  expression  of  universal  right :  whom  Honor 
crowned  with  her  most  blazing  star,  and  who  remained 

unspoiled,  thougli  on  him  "affluent  Fortune  emptied 

(21) 


2'o  HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

all  her  horn  : "  the  adulation  of  millions  could  not 
divest  him  of  his  gentle  humility.  He  was  the  incar- 
nate spirit  of  the  New-World  Thermopylae,  hurling 
back  to  their  Upas  soil  the  swarming  desecrators  of 
freedom.  America  yet  feels  his  breath  upon  her,  nor 
could  she,  without  him,  have  risen  to  her  present  state. 
The  rays  of  such  a  glorious  sun  must  still  continue  to 
illumine  her  future — as  they  have  gilded  the  past  and 
enriched  the  present — with  an  ever-accumulating 
wealth  of  light !  

There  is  a  singular  unanimity  of  opinion  in  ascribing 
to  George  Washington  an  exceptional  character.  It 
was  certainly  one  of  peculiar  symmetry,  in  which  a 
happy  combination  of  qualities,  moral,  social  and  in- 
tellectual, were  guided  to  appropriate  action  by  a  re- 
markable power  of  clear  judgment.  It  was  just  the 
combination  calculated  to  lead  a  spirited  and  brave 
people  through  such  a  trying  crisis  as  the  American 
Revolution.  His  star  was  not  dark  and  bright  by 
turns^did  not  reveal  itself  in  uncertain  and  fitful 
glimmerings — but  shone  with  a  full  and  steady  lumi- 
nosity across  the  troubled,  night  of  a  nation's  beginning. 
Under  these  broad  and  beneficent  rays  the  Ship  of 
State  was  guided,  through  a  sea  of  chaos,  to  safe  an- 
chorage. The  voyage  across  those  seven,  eventful 
years  was  one  that  tried  men^s  souls.  Often,  appalling 
dangers  threatened.  Wreck  on  the  rocks  of  disunion, 
engulfment  in  the  mountain  waves  of  opposition, 
starvation  and  doubt  and  mutiny  on  shipboard — these 
were  a  few  of  the  perils  which  beset  their  course.  But 
a  royal -souled  Commander  stood  at  the  helm,  and  dis- 
cerned, afiir  off,  the  green  shores  of  Liberty.     On  this 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON.  23 

land  the  sunshine  fell  with  fruitful  power.  Tiie  air 
was  sweet  with  tlie  songs  of  birds.  Contentment,  peace, 
prosperity,  reigned.  Great  possibilities  were  shadowed 
forth  within  its  boundaries,  and  a  young  nation,  grow- 
ing rapidly  towards  a  splendid  era  of  enlightenment, 
was  foreseen  as  a  product  of  the  near  future.  It  took 
a  man  with  deep  faith  in  the  ultimate  rule  of  right  and 
in  humanity  to  occupy  that  position ;  a  man  with  large 
heart,  with  unselfish  aims,  with  prophetic  instincts, 
with  clear  and  equalized  brain.  George  Washington 
possessed  all  of  these  qualities — and  more. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  what  might  have  been  the 
destiny  of  America  with  this  man's  influence  left  out. 
No  one  can  well  calculate  how  much  he  had  to  do  with 
the  formative  stages  of  American  Independence. 

The  masses  may  become  agitated  with  germinal  ideas, 
may  seethe  with  internal  fires;  but  it  takes  the  mind 
of  the  leader  to  crystallize  those  ideas  into  form — to 
convert  floating  material  into  use.  This  was  the  mis- 
sion of  Washington,  and  nobly  did  he  fulfil  the  sacred 
trust.  His  life  naturally  divides  itself  into  three 
parts:  First,  that  of  the  youthful  soldier;  Second,  the 
commander  ;  Third,  the  nation's  beloved  champion  and 
ruler. 

There  is  ever  a  questioning  gaze,  a  kind  of  loving 
curiosity,  turned  towards  the  streams  of  birth  and 
ancestry  of  the  world's  great  leaders  of  men  who  have 
won  imperishable  renown  in  the  service  of  their  coun- 
try, and  a  quiet  satisfaction  fills  us  if  we  discover  that 
such  lineage  flows  back  to  a  beginning  of  noble  men 
and  women. 

The  origin  of  the  name  of  Washington,  the  far- 
away springs  of  blood  w^hich  coursed  through  the 
veins  of  those  who  bore  the  manorial  title,  cannot  fail 


24  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

to  be  of  interest  to  the  reader.  AYe  learn  of  them  first 
in  the  "Bolden  Book/'  a  record  of  all  lands  contained 
in  a  certain  diocese  in  the  county  of  Durham,  England, 
in  1183.  One  William  De  Hertburn,  during  this 
time  of  the  Conquest,  held  the  village  of  De  Hertburn 
in  knight's  fee ;  probably  the  same  now  called  Hart- 
burn,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tees.  It  is  stated  in  the 
"Bolden  Book"  that  this  gentleman  exchanged  his 
village  of  Hertburn  for  the  manor  and  village  of 
Wessyngton,  in  the  same  diocese — engaging  to  pay  the 
bishop  a  quit-rent  of  four  pounds  and  to  attend  him 
with  two  greyhounds  in  grand  hunts,  and  furnish  a 
man-at-arms  whenever  military  aid  should  be  required 
of  the  palatinate. 

With  a  change  of  estate  came  a  change  of  surname, 
and  from  that  time  the  family  took  the  title  of  De 
Wyssington.  The  name  is  supposed  to  be  of  Saxon 
origin,  and  existed  in  England  prior  to  the  Conquest. 
The  villa2;e  of  Wassengtone  is  mentioned  in  a  Saxon 
charter  granted  by  King  Edgar,  in  973,  to  Thorney 
Abbey.  From  the  ancient  De  Wyssington  we  have 
the  modern  Washington. 

Laurence  Washington,  of  "Gray's  Inn,"  was  for 
some  time  Mayor  of  Northampton,  and  on  the  dissolu- 
tion of  the  priories  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  received  a 
grant  of  the  Manor  of  Sulgrave.  This  was  in  1538. 
The  grandson  of  this  first  lord  of  Sulgrave  had  many 
children.  Two  of  them — John  and  Laurence  Wash- 
ington— emigrated  to  Virginia  about  the  year  1657, 
and  settled  at  Bridges  Creek,  Westmoreland  County, 
on  the  Potomac  River.  Here  they  bought  lands  and 
became  successful  planters.  The  son  of  John,  one  of 
these  boys,  married  Mildred  Warner,  of  Gloucester 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON.  25 

County,  and  from  this  union  came  Augustine,  the  father 
of  our  illustrious  General.  The  mother  of  the  Wash- 
ington boys,  who  emigrated  to  Virginia  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  was  Eleanor  Hastings,  daughter  and 
heiress  of  John  Hastings,  who  was  grandson  to  Francis, 
second  Earl  of  Huntingdon.^  Through  Lady  Hun- 
tingdon she  was  the  descendant  of  George,  Duke  of 
Clarence,  brother  to  King  Edward  the  Fourth  and 
King  Richard  Third  by  Isabel  Nevil,  daughter  and 
heiress  of  Richard,  Earl  of  Warwick,  the  king-maker. 
It  has  been  affirmed  that  the  pedigree  of  the  Hastings 
branch  goes  back  to  the  great  Danish  sea-king,  whose 
sails  were  long  the  terror  of  both  coasts  of  the  British 
Channel.  One  branch  wore,  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury, the  coronet  of  Pembroke.  From  another  branch 
sprang  Chamberlain,  the  faithful  adherent  of  the 
White  Rose.  The  Earldom  of  Huntingdon  was 
received  by  this  family  from  the  Tudors,  which,  after 
a  long  dispossession,  has  been  quite  recently  regained. 
If  this  lineage  is  correct,  Washington  was  entitled  to 
quarter,  on  his  escutcheon,  the  arms  of  Hastings,  Pole, 
Earl  of  Salisbury,  Plantagenet,  Scotland,  Mortimer, 
Earl  of  March,  Nevil,  Montagu,  Beauchamp  and 
Devereaux.  But  his  brightest  armorial  blazonry, 
his  chiefest  patents  of  nobility,  were  iiis  unpreten- 
tious virtues,  his  humility,  his  probity;  whereby  a 
nation  was  led  through  many  struggles  to  a  free  exist- 
ence. These  are  insignia  of  rank  which  cannot  be 
taken  from  him. 

First,  then,  we  are  to  speak  of  him  as  the  boy-man. 

In  the  year  1732  there  stood  on  the  banks  of 
Bridges  Creek  one  of  those  primitive  farm-houses  of 
Virginia,  with  roof  steep  and  sloping  down  into  low, 


26         HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

projecting  eaves,  which  was  then  in  the  prevailing 
style.  It  had  four  rooms  on  the  ground-floor,  other 
rooms  in  the  attic,  and  an  immense  cliimney  at  each 
end.  The  site  commanded  a  magnificent  view  over 
many  miles  of  the  Potomac  and  the  opposite  Maryland 
shore.  Here  lived  the  family  of  Augustine  Washing- 
ton, and  here,  in  the  forenoon  of  February  twenty- 
second,  was  born  the  infant  boy  who  was  destined,  in 
his  single  person,  to  reflect  more  glory  on  his  name  than 
the  whole  line,  for  ten  generations  back,  had  conferred 
on  him.  The  record,  still  preserved  in  the  family 
Bible,  says  that  he  "  was  baptized  the  third  of  April  fol- 
lowing," and  that  "  Mr.  Beverly  Whiting  and  Captain 
Christopher  Brooks "  acted  as  godfathers,  and  ^^  Mrs. 
Mildred  Gregory''  as  godmother.  Not  long  after 
this  event  his  father  moved  from  the  ancestral  acres 
to  the  banks  of  the  Rappahannock,  nearly  opposite 
what  is  now  Fredericksburg.  History  tells  us  that 
from  infancy  this  boy  developed  a  noble  character. 
His  childhood — if  it  could  be  called  such — was  happy  ; 
his  youth — looking  back  on  it  from  this  distance — 
seemed  a  training  school,  especially  adapted  to  his 
future  career.  He  was  said  to  have  been  handsome 
in  features,  with  well-pro]:)ortioned  physique  and  gen- 
tle manners.  He  had  great  moral  courage,  frankness, 
integrity,  and  a  keen  sense  of  honor.  In  brief,  the 
boy  was  father  to  the  man.  At  twelve  years  of  age 
he  was  left  without  a  father.  At  fifteen  and  a-half 
he  had  finished  school.  His  bent  was  towards  mathe- 
matical and  scientific  pursuits,  and  he  therefore  fitted 
himself  for  the  ])rofession  of  a  civil  engineer.  At 
thirteen  he  had  made  a  manuscript  collection  of  sixty- 
nine  rules  for  the  government  of  conduct,  which  might 


GEORGE    WASHINGTON.  27 

be  said  to  constitute  of  themselves  a  code  of  moral 
pliilosophy.  Wiien  he  had  just  i^assed  sixteen,  in 
March  of  the  year  1748,  he  was  engaged  by  Lord 
Fairfax  to  survey  his  immense  possessions  of  land  just 
purchased  in  that  then  wild  region.  With  an  Indian 
guide  and  a  few  woodsmen,  the  fearless  boy  set  out  on 
this  hardy  mission.  It  occupied  the  year.  In  per- 
forming it,  he  faced  all  the  difficulties,  dangers  and 
hardships  of  the  explorer — sleeping  at  night  on  a  bear- 
skin or  some  straw  before  the  fire,  and,  for  months, 
not  taking  off  his  clothes.  At  nineteen,  he  had  so 
grown  in  the  regard  of  Virginians  that  he  was  ap- 
pointed major  over  one  of  the  military  districts,  into 
which  the  province  was  divided  for  defence  against  the 
Indians. 

Then  began  the  bloody  struggle  between  England 
and  France  for  the  possession  of  America.  A  com- 
missioner was  to  be  sent  across  the  Alleghenies  on  a 
perilous,  six-hundred-mile  journey,  bearing  remon- 
stances  from  Great  Britain  to  one  of  the  French  posts 
there  stationed.  Who,  in  all  the  colony,  was  there  to 
undertake  this  daring  enterprise?  The  Scotch  Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle  looked  around  him  inquiringly. 
George  Washington,  twenty  years  old,  volunteered  his 
services.  This  was  regarded  by  all,  as  heroic  to  a  high 
degree.  He  started  from  Williamsburg,  Virginia, 
November  fourteenth,  1753,  with  eight  men,  including 
two  Indian  guides.  They  went  to  the  headwaters  of  the 
Monongahela,  from  there  to  the  Ohio,  and  in  birch 
canoes,  paddled  down  that  stream  for  nearly  three 
hundred  miles,  to  the  point  now  occupied  by  Pitts- 
burg. The  party  reached  the  end  of  their  journey  in 
forty-one    days.      The   mission    was   performed,    and 


28         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

through  many  perils  by  flood  and  field,  the  returning 
party  reached  Williamsburg  again  the  sixteenth  of 
January,  1754.  Washington  made  his  report  to  the 
governor,  which  was  published  and  read  eagerly  in  the 
colonies  and  England,  and  established  the  fact  that 
the  French  meant  to  defend  their  rights  of  discovery, 
and  that  they  had  the  hearty  co-operation  of  the 
Indians.  The  Legislature  of  Virginia  was  then  in 
session,  and  Washington  one  day  mingled  with  the 
crowd  in  the  gallery  to  witness  the  proceedings  of  the 
House.  The  speaker  saw  him,  and  rose  from  his 
chair.  "  I  propose,"  said  he,  "  that  the  thanks  of  this 
House  be  given  to  Major  Washington,  who  now  sits 
in  the  gallery,  for  the  gallant  manner  in  which  he  has 
executed  the  important  trust  lately  reposed  in  him  by 
his  Excellency,  the  Governor." 

The  applause  and  enthusiasm  was  universal.  Every 
one  rose  to  do  him  homage,  and  Washington  was  con- 
ducted, blushing,  to  the  speaker^s  desk.  Then  a  hushed 
silence  fell  on  the  waiting  crowd  to  hear  what  might 
fall  from  his  lips.  But  the  young  Major,  thus  taken 
by  surj)rise,  was  speechless.  The  speaker  saw  the  situ- 
ation and  hastened  to  his  relief.  Directing  him  to  a 
chair,  he  said:  "Sit  down,  Major  Washington,  sit 
down  !     Your  modesty  is  alone  equal  to  your  merit." 

An  army  of  four  hundred  men  was  raised  by  com- 
mand of  Governor  Dinwiddle,  and  Washington  was 
appointed  colonel  of  the  regiment.  The  avowed 
object  was  to  subjugate  the  French  and  compel  recog- 
nition of  the  right  of  the  British  Crown  to  this  conti- 
nent. 

W^hen  the  little  band  was  within  a  few  days'  march 
of  Fort  Du  Quesne  (the  site  of  Pittsburg),  they  were 


^       GEORGE    WASHINGTON.  29 

thrown  into  consternation  by  learning  the  superior 
force  and  position  of  the  French.  M.  De  Villiers, 
who  had  been  thoroughly  posted  on  the  movements  of 
the  English  from  the  outset,  sent  a  peace  commission 
of  thirty-four  men,  under  Jumonville,  a  civilian,  to 
advise  Colonel  Washington  to  return.  Learning  of 
the  approach  of  this  party,  Washington,  with  a  strong 
detachment  commanded  by  himself,  on  a  night  of 
Egyptian  darkness,  surprised  the  sleeping  camp,  killed 
Jumonville  and  ten  men  and  captured  the  remainder. 
It  is  generally  agreed  that  Washington  supposed  this 
party  intended  to  attack  him,  though  their  small 
numbers  would  seem  to  contradict  the  theory.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  the  result  proved  a  firebrand  which  kindled 
the  flames  of  war  between  France  and  England. 

A  battle  immediately  followed,  at  a  place  named 
Fort  Necessity,  on  the  banks  of  the  Monongahela,  in 
which  the  little  army  had  no  choice  but  to  surrender 
to  the  French  commander  at  Fort  Du  Quesne. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  give,  in  detail,  a  description  of 
the  long  war  for  mastery  between  the  French  and  Eng- 
lish powers.  Our  aim  is  not  that  of  the  historian, 
but  rather  the  artist,  who  uses  events  as  the  back- 
ground against  which  character  reveals  itself,  in  more 
or  less  striking  outlines. 

England  sent  to  these  shores,  as  commander  of  her 
army.  General  Braddock,  a  man  conspicuously  unfitted 
for  the  work  committed  to  his  care.  Colonial  affairs 
were  treated  with  contempt  by  court  and  cabinet. 
Governor  Dinwiddie  reduced  Washington  to  the  rank 
of  captain,  placing  over  him  officers  whom  he  had  com- 
manded. Washington  immediately  resigned,  but 
accepted  a  position  as  aide  on  Braddock's  staff,  which 


30         HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

was  then  offered  him,  with  his  former  rank.  The 
march  of  Braddock's  army  into  the  valley  of  death 
despite  the  warnings  and  advice  of  Washington,  their 
bloody  annihilation,  the  death  of  their  leader,  tlie 
march  back  with  the  remnant  of  British  soldiers  that 
escaped — these  all  followed  in  rapid  sequence.  Then 
we  see  the  young  colonel  at  the  head  of  seven  hundred 
men,  raised  by  Virginia,  for  frontier  defence.  In  1756 
he  was  called  to  Boston,  and  travelled  the  entire  five 
hundred  miles  on  horseback,  with  two  aides  and  black 
servants  in  livery.  After  his  return  to  Winchester, 
where  a  central  fort  was  established,  he  was  so  assailed 
and  thwarted  in  his  plans  that  "nothing'^  he  said, 
"  but  the  imminent  danger  of  the  times  prevented  him 
from  resigning  his  command."  People  everywhere 
looked  to  Washington  to  protect  them.  They  came  to 
him  with  supplications — women  with  children — men 
from  the  halls  of  legislation.  All  this  touched  him 
deeply.  In  1758  an  expedition  was  organized  to  march 
against  Fort  Du  Quesne,  under  command  of  General 
Forbes.  Two  thousand  men  raised  by  Virginia  were 
commanded  by  Washington.  They  set  out  early  in 
July.  The  whole  force  consisted  of  six  thousand  men. 
When  the  "  provincials,"  as  they  were  called,  gathered 
at  Winchester,  it  was  found  that  they  were  in  need  of 
everything  necessary  to  such  an  exploit :  arms,  ammu- 
nition, field-equipage,  etc.  Washington  went  at  once  to 
Williamsburg  to  ask  aid  of  the  Council. 

While  on  this  journey,  just  after  crossing  the 
Pamunky  river,  he  met  at  the  house  of  a  wealthy  Vir- 
ginia gentleman  the  beautiful  young  widow,  Martha 
Oustis.  He  seems  to  have  been  fascinated  by  her  from 
the  first  moment  of  meeting,  and  when,  on  the  following 


GEORGE   WASHINGTO:^.  "31 

moriiinfr,  he  left  the  house  of  his  host,  his  troth  \va? 
pliglited  to  this  charming  lady  and  he  had  received  hers 
in  return.  They  were  to  be  married  at  the  termination 
of  the  Fort  Du  Quesne  campaign.  On  the  march 
thitherward  a  similar  fate  to  that  of  Braddock^s  army 
met  some  of  the  commands.  They  were  hemmed  in 
by  narrow  ravines,  surprised  by  the  superior  strategy 
of  Indians,  and  killed  remorselessly.  But  the  Virginia 
troops,  led  by  Washington,  reached  the  fort  only  to 
find  it  a  smouldering  heap  of  ashes.  For,  on  the 
previous  night,  the  French  commander  had  blown  up 
the  magazine,  burned  the  defences,  and  embarked  his 
troops — five  hundred  in  number — on  the  Ohio.  The 
English  victories  in  Canada  had  cut  off  reinforcements 
and  supplies  to  the  lonely  fort,  and  left  them  unpre- 
pared to  meet  their  opponents.  They  had,  therefore, 
no  choice  but  retreat.  Another  fort  was  erected  on  the 
site  of  the  ancient  Du  Quesne  and  named  Fort  Pitt. 

Washington  returned  to  Virginia,  and  on  the  sixth 
of  January  was  married  to  Mrs.  Custis  at  the  "  White 
House,"  the  home  of  the  beautiful  and  wealthy  bride. 
This  place  was  not  far  from  Williamsburg,  in  New 
Kent  County.  He  remained  here  for  three  months, 
and  then  took  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  at 
Williamsburg.  At  the  close  of  the  session  he  removed, 
with  his  family,  to  Mount  Vernon,  and  believed  him- 
self, as  he  expressed  it,  "  fixed  for  life.'' 

During  these  halcyon  days  we  have  a  pleasant  little 
picture  of  his  domestic  life  as  it  passed  on  this  jDrincely 
estate — a  picture  in  happy  contrast  with  the  dark 
scenes  of  war  which  had  shadowed  his  previous  ex- 
perience, and  which  were  to  be  a  part  of  his  future. 

He  rose  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  read  or  wrote 


32         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

until  seven,  breakfasted  on  two  small  cups  of  tea  and 
some  hoe-cake,  and  afterwards  mounted  one  of  his 
superb  horses  and  made  the  "  rounds "  of  his  broad 
acres.  He  dined  at  two  o'clock,  retired  at  about  nine; 
was  fond  of  athletic  sports  and  the  hunt.  A  lovely 
barge  on  the  Potomac,  manned  by  six  negroes  in  uni- 
form, was  one  of  his  possessions.  He  dispensed  a  large 
hospitality,  his  house  being  frequented  by  troops  of 
guests. 

Meanwhile,  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  County 
Court  and  had  undertaken  a  project  to  explore  the 
Dismal  Swamp. 

In  1763  the*  peace  of  Fontainebleau  was  signed. 
The  French  had  been  driven  from  these  shores  and 
England  sheathed  the  sword  of  conquest. 

The  passage  of  the  "Stamp  Act"  in  1764  incensed 
the  people  and  called  forth  that  patriotic  burst  of 
eloquence  from  Patrick  Henry  which  afterwards  be- 
came so  renowned.  Washington  felt  the  approach  of 
the  gathering  war-cloud,  and  returned  to  Mount  Ver- 
non from  the  House  of  Burgesses  filled  with  gloomy 
forebodings.  The  British  government  became  alarmed 
at  the  temper  of  America,  and,  as  a  matter  of  concilia- 
tion, repealed  the  "  Stamp  Act."  This  was  in  March, 
1766.  But  the  tax  on  tea  and  other  merchandise  fol- 
lowed, and  two  regiments  of  English  regulars  were 
sent  across  the  water  to  intimidate  the  colonists.  This 
was  adding  insult  to  injury.  The  Virginia  Assembly 
denounced  Parliament  for  imposing  taxes  without 
allowing  representation,  and  bold  resolves  were  made, 
declaring  that  the  taxing  power  should  be  vested  alone 
\u  the  colonists.  Lord  Botetort,  the  new  governor,  who 
had   set  up  his  court  in  great  splendor  in  Virginia, 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON.  33 

heard  of  these  daring  denunciations.  He  summoned 
the  council  to  his  audience  chamber,  and,  in  a  haughty 
manner,  dissolved  the  State  Assembly.  They  then 
convened  in  a  private  dwelling,  and  at  this  meeting 
Washington  presented  a  "  draft  of  an  association  to  dis- 
countenance the  use  of  all  British  merchandise  taxed 
by  Parliament  to  raise  a  revenue  in  America."  Every 
member  signed  it,  and  a  printed  copy  of  the  draft  was 
scattered  broadcast  over  the  country.  It  w^as  every- 
where applauded.  "Non-Importation  Associations" 
sprang  up  in  all  the  colonies.  British  commerce  felt 
this  action,  and  petitions  from  British  merchants,  for 
the  repeal  of  the  taxes,  poured  into  Parliament.  Lord 
North,  at  this  time  England's  prime  minister,  removed 
the  importation  duties  on  all  articles  except  tea.  That, 
he  said,  must  be  continued,  in  order  to  establish  "  the 
authority  of  the  mother  country." 

In  vain  did  earnest  and  eloquent  men  in  the  English 
Parliament  plead  for  the  rights  of  the  colonists.  In 
vain  were  petitions — in  vain  remonstrances.  Every 
one  who  dared  to  make  an  appeal  to  British  power,  in 
favor  of  justice,  fell  at  once  into  disfavor.  George 
the  Third  and  his  court  were  deaf  to  all  save  selfish 
considerations. 

Thus  events  drifted  forward,  bringing  in  their  wake 
the  birth-throes  of  a  great  nation.  The  Boston  Tea 
Party,  disguised  as  Indians,  boarded  the  English  ships 
at  night  and  emptied  the  tea-chests  into  Boston  harbor. 
In  return,  insulting  decrees  were  fulminated  from  the 
throne,  declaring  that  Massachusetts  should  no  longer 
have  a  voice  in  the  selection  of  her  rulers,  and  that  the 
port  at  Boston  should  be  closed.  In  Virginia,  the 
House  of  Burgesses  was  broken  up  by  Lord  Dunmore, 


34         HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

the  colonial  governor  appointed  by  the  crown.  Public 
indignation  against  these  tyrannies  flamed  forth  every- 
where. Letters  came  from  Boston  to  Williamsburg 
recommending  a  league  of  the  colonies  and  the  suspen- 
sion of  trade  with  England.  The  day  on  wliich  the 
"  Boston  Port  Bill "  was  to  be  enforced  was  observed 
with  fasting  and  prayer.  Flags  were  at  half-mast  and 
funeral  bells  were  tolled.  The  colonists  became  rap- 
idly convinced  that  nothing  would  satisfy  the  cruel 
despotism  of  George  the  Third  save  their  slavish  sub- 
mission.    This  could  not  be  given. 

And  so  the  war  crisis  approached  nearer  and  more 
near.    Patriot  brows  grew  thoughtful  and  patriot  hearts 
resolute  as  the  danger  defined  itself     The  first  Con- 
tinental Congress  met  in  Philadelphia,  September  fifth, 
1774,  and  Washington  was  a  delegate  from  Virginia. 
He  had  come  there  on  horseback  from  Mount  Vernon 
in  company  with  Patrick  Henry  and  Edmund  Pendle- 
ton.    In  that  time  of  sublime  fusion  of  souls,  when  all 
were  drawn  into  concerted  action  by  a  common,  heroic 
purpose,  no  one,  among  that  distinguished  assembly  of 
great  minds,  exhibited  a  loftier  patriotism,  a  nobler 
enthusiasm,  or   more   self-sacrificing   spirit   than   the 
country's  future  beloved  General.     He  who  had  said 
to  the  Virginia  Assembly  when   Boston  was  menaced, 
"  I  am  ready  to  raise  one  thousand  men,  subsist  them 
at  my  own  expense,  and   march   at  their  head  to  the 
relief  of  Boston,"  could  not  certainly  be  accused  of  sel- 
fish or  mercenary  motives.     When,  after  a  session  of 
fifty-one  days.  Congress  disbanded,  Patrick  Henry  said 
of  him,  "If  you  speak  of  solid  information,  and  sound 
judgment.  Colonel  Washington  is  unquestionably  the 
greatest  man  on  that  floor." 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON.  35 

"  It  is  useless/^  said  this  prince  of  orators  afterwards, 
at  the  Richmond  convention,  ^'  to  address  further  peti- 
tions to  the  British  government,  or  to  await  the  effect 
of  those  already  addressed  to  the  throne.  We  must 
fight !  I  repeat  it,  we  must  fight !  An  appeal  to  arms 
and  to  the  God  of  hosts  is  all  that  is  left  us." 

In  April,  1775,  the  first  patriot  blood  was  spilled  at 
Lexington  and  all  the  country  was  stung  to  indignation. 
"  To  arms  ! "  was  the  cry  which  echoed  from  colony  to 
colony. 

The  second  Congress  met  in  May,  1775,  and  formed 
a  military  confederacy  vested  with  legislative  powers 
for  their  own  defence.  Washington  was  appointed 
chairman  of  committee  on  military  affairs. 

The  question  which  now  swept  Congress  and  hov- 
ered with  anxious  portent  on  all  lips  was,  "  Who  shall 
be  commander-in-chief  of  the  united  armies?" 

John  Adams  had  the  honor  to  first  propose  George 
Washington  for  this  position.  "A  gentleman,"  he  said, 
"  whose  skill  and  experience  as  an  officer,  whose  inde- 
pendent fortune,  great  talents  and  excellent  universal 
character  would  command  the  approbation  of  all  Amer- 
ica, and  unite  the  cordial  exertions  of  all  the  colonies, 
better  than  any  other  person  in  the  Union."  The  vote, 
which  was  given  by  ballot,  was  found  to  be  unanimous 
for  Washington. 

Congress,  therefore,  on  May  fifteenth,  adopted  the 
"Continental  Army"  and  fixed  the  pay  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-chief at  five  hundred  dollars  per  month. 
This  salary  Washington  declined,  asking  only  that 
Congress  defray  his  expenses. 

He  received  his  commission  on  the  20th  of  June, 
and  the  next  day  set  out  from  Philadelphia  for  the 


36        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

army.  He  was  accompanied  by  Generals  Lee  and 
Schuyler  and  an  escort  of  Philadelphia  troops.  Twenty 
miles  outside  the  city  they  were  met  by  a  flying  couriei; 
with  news  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  Anxiously, 
every  particular  of  the  action  was  gleaned.  Washing- 
ton listened  breathlessly,  and  when  told  of  the  heroic; 
behavior  of  the  Americans,  exclaimed,  with  emotion, 
"  The  liberties  of  our  country  are  safe  ! " 

As  he  journeyed  onward  towards  Cambridge,  vol- 
unteer escorts  of  citizens  and  soldiers  went  with  him 
from  town  to  town.  Every  one  was  anxious  to  see 
him,  and  everywhere  he  produced  the  same  favorable 
effect  on  the  minds  of  the  people.  On  the  third  of  July, 
the  army,  drawn  up  on  Cambridge  common,  formally 
received  its  commander,  and  his  presence  imparted  to 
it  a  wonderful  access  of  enthusiasm. 

From  this  time  onward,  for  eight  long,  suffering 
years,  until  April,  1783,  the  war  of  the  American 
Kevolution  dragged  its  slow  length  along;  and  the 
history  of  General  Washington  is  so  interwoven  with 
the  struggle,  that  one  could  not  be  written  without  the 
other.  Space  can  be  given  to  only  a  few  striking  illus- 
trations of  this  great  man's  generalship. 

The  manner  in  which  the  siege  of  Boston  was  con- 
ducted, terminating  in  Howe's  precipitate  retreat,  has 
been  regarded  by  military  judges  as  a  masterly  achieve- 
ment. On  the  fourth  of  July,  1776,  the  great  Decla- 
ration was  adopted,  and  the  army  received  it  with  wild 
demonstrations  of  joy. 

Washington's  retreat  through  the  Jerseys  was  un- 
questionably a  piece  of  splendid  generalship.  ^*  With 
a  mere  handful  of  freezing,  starving,  ragged  men,  he 
retreated  more  than  a  hundred  miles  before  a  powerful 


GEORGE  washin::ton.  39 

foe  flushed  with  victory  and  strengthened  with  abund- 
ance. He  baffled  all  their  endeavors  to  cut  him  off, 
preserved  all  his  field-pieces,  ammunition,  and  nearly 
all  his  stores.  There  was  grandeur  in  this  achieve- 
ment which  far  surpassed  any  ordinary  victory." 

After  crossing  the  Delaware,  he  stationed  his  troops 
on  the  western  bank,  with  the  broad  river  flowing 
between  liim  and  his  foe.  The  forces  of  Cornwallis 
faced  the  American  lines  on  the  other  side.  On  Christ- 
mas night,  when  the  German  soldiers  were  indulging 
in  their  convivial  holiday  customs,  Washington,  with 
twenty-five  hundred  of  his  best  troops  and  twenty 
pieces  of  artillery,  made  the  passage  of  the  Delaware, 
through  floating  blocks  of  ice.  He  effected  a  landing 
nine  miles  above  Trenton,  and  advanced  in  two  divi- 
sions upon  the  town.  Their  attack  was  simultaneous, 
and  the  result  was  a  surprise  and  a  victory.  It  was 
more :  for  this  piece  of  military  strategy  turned'  the 
war  current  in  their  favor  and  swept  them  towards 
success.  Panic  seized  the  British  troops  and  they  fled, 
dismayed.  Such  superior  generalship  was  not  looked 
for.  Arms  and  stores  were  captured,  besides  a  thou- 
sand prisoners.  Washington,  took  his  army  back  over 
the  Delaware  on  the  same  day,  and  after  a  brief  rest, 
re-crossed  it  on  the  twenty-ninth. 

The  enemy  were  concentrating  at  Princeton.  Corn- 
wallis, to  whose  relief  General  Howe  was  marching, 
supposed  he  had  the  American  array  entrapped,  since  it 
was  impossible  for  them  to  retreat  with  the  Delaware 
in  their  rear.  But  once  more  Washington  rose  superior 
to  the  occasion,  and  executed  a  marvellous  feat  of  skil- 
ful daring.  On  that  night  the  American  watch-fires 
were  piled  high;   bands  of  sappers  and  miners  were 


40        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

heard  noisily  at  work,  and  sentinels  went  their  ac- 
customed rounds.  But  a  rapid  and  circuitous  march 
round  the  British  encampment  was  conducted  in  the 
silence  of  the  night,  and  morning  revealed  the  unwel- 
come truth  to  Cornwallis  that  he  had  been  again  out- 
generalled.  The  American  army  had  slipped  from  his 
grasp.  They  had  reached  Princeton  without  discovery, 
and,  attacking  the  three  British  regiments  stationed 
there,  put  them  to  flight,  and  won  a  decisive  victory. 

The  capture  of  Burgoyne,  the  battle  at  Germantown, 
and  the  winter  at  Valley  Forge  only  served  to  illustrate 
one  of  the  most  illustrious  of  commanders.  The  evacu- 
ation of  Philadelphia  by  the  British  was  followed,  June 
twenty-eighth,  1779,  by  the  brilliant  battle  of  Mon- 
mouth, N.  J.  The  tired  soldiers  slept  upon  the  field, 
and  Washington,  wrapped  in  his  cloak,  slept  in  their 
midst,  with  the  young  French  Marquis  De  Lafayette 
by  his  side.  During  the  summer  of  this  campaign 
occurred  the  savage  massacres  of  Cherry  Valley  and 
Wyoming — horrible  blots  on  the  page  of  history,  which 
can  be  charged  to  British  instigation.  With  a  skill 
and  judgment  which  amounted  to  inspiration,  Wash- 
ington held  the  fleets  and  armies  of  England  at  bay, 
baffled  the  eflbrts  of  their  ablest  leaders,  and  closed  the 
year's  campaign,  if  not  a  victor,  yet  not  vanquished. 
The  surrender  of  Yorktown  in  October,  1781 — the 
news  of  which  was  shouted  in  the  streets  of  Philadel- 
phia at  midnight — echoed  over  the  continent,  and 
awoke  the  responsive  enthusiasm  of  a  liberated  people. 
This  culminated,  at  length,  in  the  treaty  of  peace,  signed 
at  Paris  in  April,  1783.  December  fourth,  Washing- 
ton took  leave  of  his  brother  officers.  His  eyes  Avere 
full  of  tears,  and  his  voice  trembling  with  emotion  as 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON.  41 

the  words  of  affectionate  farewell  were  spoken.  '^  With 
a  heart  full  of  love  and  gratitude,"  he  said,  "  I  now 
take  leave  of  you.  I  most  devoutly  wish  that  your 
latter  days  may  be  as  prosperous  and  happy  as  your 
former  have  been  glorious  and  honorable.  I  cannot 
come  to  you  to  take  my  leave,  but  shall  be  obliged  if 
each  of  you  will  come  and  take  me  by  the  hand." 
Tears  choked  his  utterance.  Without  a  spoken  word 
— in  silence  more  eloquent  than  any  speech,  each  ol 
them  grasped  the  hand  of  the  man  they  so  loved  and 
venerated.  The  scene  is  described  as  affecting  in  the 
extreme. 

December  twenty-third,  he  resigned  his  commission  to 
the  Continental  Congress  at  Annapolis.  A  convention, 
held  soon  after,  at  Philadelphia,  fused  the  Confederacy 
of  States  into  a  nation,  and  created  its  constitution. 
The  choice  of  the  new  nation  was  unanimous  for 
Washington  as  its  first  President,  and  his  installation 
took  place  April  thirtieth,  1789. 

How  he  guided  the  affairs  of  state  into  peaceful  and 
wise  and  successful  channels,  for  two  terms  of  four 
years  each,  history  records.  How  America  loved  him 
as  its  father,  history  records.  He  retired,  a  conqueror : 
not  alone  on  the  battle-field  and  in  the  chair  of  state, 
but  in  the  wide  realm  of  a  grateful  people's  affection. 
His  conquests  were  more  glorious  than  those  of  Caesar, 
more  grand  in  their  results  than  those  of  Napoleon.  It 
is  questionable  whether  Napoleon  I.  or  any  of  the 
world^s  military  leaders  have  displayed  rarer  general- 
ship or  greater  military  genius.  More  dazzling  and 
meteoric  they  certainly  have  been,  but  hardly  more 
able.  Nor  have  they  exhibited  sublimer  heroism.  Nor 
has  any  life  ever  radiated  a  purer  patriotism.     He  rose 


42  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

beyond  the  General,  and  became  merged  in  the  Ruler. 
"  He  gained  the  independence  of  his  country  by  war — 
maintained  it  by  peace — established  it  as  a  free  govern- 
ment in  the  name  of  order,  and  law,  and  justice  '^ — two 
of  the  greatest  things,  says  Guizot,  which,  in  politics, 
man  can  have  the  privilege  of  attempting. 

Such  laurels  as  he  won,  crown  only  the  brows  of 
those  heroes  sent  of  Heaven  to  be  the  special  saviours 
of  special  epochs,  and  to  lead  the  nations  and  peoples 
of  earth  up  to  higher  levels  of  thought  and  action. 


CHAPTER   II. 
JOSEPH    AVARREN. 

Birthplace  of  Warren.— School  Days.— Graduation  at  Harvard. — 
Studying  Medicine. — Warren  as  a  Physician. — The  ''Sons  of 
Liberty." — Warren's  Activity  in  Politics. — Boston  Massacre. — 
Oration  at  the  Old  South  Church. — Liberty's  Advocate. — The 
Tea  Party. — Faneuil  Hall  Meeting. — Fourth  Anniversary  of  Bos- 
ton Massacre.— Second  Oration. — Fears  of  Assassination. — The 
Crisis  Met. — Paul  Revere's  Ride. — Warren's  Presentiment. — 
Battle  of  Bunker  Hill.— Death  of  Warren.— "'Tis  Sweet  for 
One's  Country  to  Die." — Honors  to  his  Memory. — Bunker  Hill 
Monument. 

NO  brighter  name  illumines  our  country's  Eoll  of 
Honor  than  that  of  Joseph  Warren,  the  hero 
of  Bunker  Hill.  When  the  heel  of  British  tyranny 
would  have  crushed  to  earth  the  sacred  liberties  of  the 
American  people,  this  young  patriot,  distinguished 
already  in  the  councils  of  state,  sprang  to  the  defence 
of  his  country,  and  willingly  laid  down  his  life  for 
the  principles  he  had  so  fearlessly  advocated.  The 
Tree  of  Liberty  grew  apace,  watered  by  such  martyr- 
blood  as  that  of  Warren,  and  a  grateful  people  hold 
his  name  in  immortal  memory. 

When  a  man  thus  makes  himself  the  exponent  of 
an  idea,  when  life  itself  becomes  a  secondary  considera- 
tion to  justice  and  to  right,  the  world — always  a  hero- 
worshipper — is  anxious  to  learn  every  detail  of  that 
life,  to  penetrate,  if  possible,  the  hidden  springs  of  its 
action,  and  discover,  if  it  may,  out  of  what  soil  the 
hero  took  his  growth. 

(43) 


44         HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

Joseph  Warren  was  born  in  Roxbury.,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1740,  but  the  accounts  we  have  of  his  childhood 
days  are  too  meagre  to  furnish  any  hint  of  the  boy 
that  was  ^^fatlier  to  the  man/^  It  is  supposed  that  he 
attended  the  grammar  school  of  Master  Lovell,  where 
our  forefathers  received  the  training  which  prepared 
them  for  Harvard.  When  only  fifteen  years  old  he 
entered  college,  and  graduated  with  honor  in  1759. 

During  his  university  days  he  was  looked  upon  as 
a  boy  of  talent,  and  also  acquired  the  reputation  of 
great  personal  bravery.  After  leaving  college  young 
Warren  began  the  study  of  medicine,  and  soon  became 
distinguished  in  his  profession.  He  was  especially 
active  during  the  year  1764,  when  the  small-pox 
spread  throughout  Boston.  At  this  time  he  is  de- 
scribed as  an  accomplished  gentleman,  of  fine  presence 
and  engaging  address,  winning  favor  alike  from  the 
learned  and  the  humble.  But  his  energies  were  not 
confined  to  the  limits  of  his  profession.  He  soon  be- 
came known  as  a  fine  writer  and  an  eloquent  speaker. 

From  the  year  of  the  Stamp  Act  to  the  final 
breaking  out  of  hostilities  between  the  colonies  and 
Great  Britain,  he  did  not  cease  to  advocate  by  pen 
and  voice  the  rights  of  the  colonies — fearlessly  con- 
demning taxation  as  tyranny,  and  openly  advocating 
resistance  to  it. 

During  these  years,  when  the  seeds  of  the  Revolu- 
tion were  being  sown,  a  secret  society,  called  the  ^^Sous 
of  Liberty,'^  flourished  in  Boston,  which  wielded  a 
powerful  influence  in  politics.  From  the  year  1768 
Dr.  Warren  was  among  its  principal  members,  and 
there  formed  an  intimacy  with  Samuel  Adams,  which 
was  almost  romantic  in  its  strength.     "  Many  of  the 


JOSEPH  WARREN.  45 

members  of  this  club  filled  public  offices,  and  few  in 
the  outside  world  knew  from  whence  the  public  meas- 
ures of  resistance  to  British  tyranny  originated.'' 

In  1772  their  numbers  were  increased,  and  they 
met  in  a  house  near  the  *' North  Battery,''  where  over, 
sixty  persons  were  present  at  their  first  meeting.  Dr. 
"Warren  drew  up  the  society  regulations,  and  it  is 
recorded  that  ^^  no  important  measures  were  taken 
without  first  consulting  him  and  his  particular  friends." 
Here  were  matured  those  plans  of  defence,  which  saw 
their  first  fulfilment  at  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill. 

After  the  tea  was  destroyed  in  Boston  Harbor,  the 
meetings  of  this  society  were  no  longer  secret,  but 
their  place  of  rendezvous  was  changed  in  the  spring 
of  1775  from  the  ''North  Battery"  to  the  "Green 
Dragon."  No  member  of  this  organization  was  more 
zealous  than  Dr.  Warren,  no  one  more  active  in 
patriotic  measures.  After  the  bloody  scenes  of  the 
Boston  Massacre,  he  was  a  prominent  leader  in  the 
efforts  made  by  the  town  to  effect  the  removal  of  the 
troops,  and  was  appointed  by  the  town  one  of  a  com- 
mittee ol  three  to  prepare  an  account  of  the  affair, 
"that  a  full  and  just  representation  may  be  made 
thereof."  The  account  was  published,  and  sent  to 
England  in  a  vessel  chartered  especially  for  that 
purpose. 

Dr.  Warren  was  elected  member  of  the  State  Legis- 
lature from  Boston  for  the  term  of  1770,  and  his 
name  figures  conspicuously  in  the  controversies  of  the 
times,  and  on  committees  appointed  to  draft  important 
state  papers.  In  177">  he  was  re-elected,  and  served 
his  term  with  distinguished  success.  In  March  of  the 
year  previous  he  delivered  the  anniversary  oration  on 


46  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

the  Boston  Massacre  of  1770,  to  a  large  audience  in 
the  Old  South  Church.  It  was  delivered  on  invita- 
tion of  the  town  committee,  and  was  said  to  be  a 
brilliant  effort.  In  this  address  he  fearlessly  charged 
Great  Britain  with  an  invasion  of  colonial  rights,  and 
called  on  his  hearers  to  resist  the  torrent  of  oppression 
which  was  being  poured  upon  them.  In  the  course 
of  his  oration  he  gave  utterance  to  the  following  mem- 
orable words  : 

"  The  voice  of  your  fathers'  blood  cries  to  you  from 
the  ground,  'My  sons,  scorn  to  be  slaves!  In  vain 
we  met  the  frowns  of  tyrants — in  vain  w^e  crossed  the 
boisterous  ocean,  found  a  new  world,  and  prepared  it  for 
the  happy  residence  of  Liberty — in  vain  we  toiled — in 
vain  we  fought — we  bled  in  vain  if  you,  our  offspring, 
want  valor  to  repel  the  assaults  of  her  invaders!'" 
The  address  was  printed  and  widely  distributed,  and 
a  duly  appointed  committee  returned  the  thanks  of  the 
town  to  the  speaker. 

During  the  exciting  years  of  1772,  1773  and  1774, 
Warren  seems  to  have  been  foremost  in  every  move- 
ment looking  towards  the  liberties  of  the  colonies.. 
Then,  as  now,  there  was  a  conservative  party  in  poli- 
tics, which  was  afraid  to  offend  the  British  lion,  and 
which  desired  reconciliation  at  almost  any  price.  But 
if  the  minions  of  royalty  cried  '^  peace,  peace ! "  War- 
ren told  them  there  was  no  peace.  His  voice  rung  out 
everywhere,  counselling  opposition  to  unjust  laws, 
encouraging  the  weak,  and  winning,  by  force  of  logic, 
the  faltering. 

In  1772  he  was  one  of  the  celebrated  Committee  of 
Correspondence  which,  November  twentieth,  handed 
in  its  famous  report  of  grievances.      This  important 


JOSEPH  WARREN.  47 

document  was  arranged  under  three  heads:  First,  "A 
Statement  of  the  Rights  of  the  Cobnists;"  Second, 
'^A  List  of  the  Infringements  of  those  Rights ;  ^'  and 
Third,  "A  Letter  of  Correspondence  with  other 
Towns."  Dr.  Warren  was  the  author  of  the  second 
paper,  and  Mr.  Barry  sums  up  the  "  formidable  array 
of  complaints  '^  as  follows : 

"  The  assumption  of  absolute  legislative  powers ;  the 
imposition  of  taxes  without  the  consent  of  the  people ; 
the  appointment  of  officers  unknown  to  the  charter, 
supported  by  income  derived  from  such  taxes;  the 
investing  these  officers  with  unconstitutional  powers, 
especially  the  '  Commissioners  of  his  Majesty's  Cus- 
toms;' the  annulment  of  laws  enacted  by  the  court 
after  the  time  limited  for  their  rejection  had  expired; 
the  introduction  of  fleets  and  armies  into  the  colonies ; 
the  support  of  the  executive  and  the  judiciary  inde- 
pendently of  the  people ;  the  oppressive  instructions 
sent  to  the  governor ;  the  extension  of  the  powers  of 
the  Court  of  Vice-Admiralty  ;  the  restriction  of  manu- 
factures; the  act  relating  to  dock -yards  and  stores 
which  deprived  the  people  of  the  right  of  trial  by  peers 
in  their  own  vicinage;  the  attempt  to  establish  the 
American  episcopate  ;  and  the  alteration  of  the  bounds 
of  colonies  by  decisions  before  the  King  and  Council." 
The  paper  was  a  masterly  production,  and  its  statements 
were  clear  and  forcible. 

Thus  the  march  of  events  went  forward  until  a  crisis 
was  precipitated  on  the  colonies  by  the  arrival  of  the 
celebrated  tea  in  Boston  Harbor.  Immediately,  the 
country  was  filled  with  excitement.  "  The  Committee 
of  Correspondence  and  the  select  men  of  the  towns 
summoned  meetings  ;  and  every  friend  of  his  country 


48         HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

was  urged  to  make  a  united  and  successful  resistance 
to  this  '  last,  worst,  and  most  destructive  measure  of 
the  administration.' '' 

November  twenty-ninth,  1773,  a  meeting  was  held 
at  Faneuil  Hall  which,  for  want  of  room,  adjourned 
to  the  Old  South  Church,  where  Warren  and  John 
Hancock  and  others  were  the  leading  spirits  of  the 
occasion. 

Of  this  meeting  was  born  the  Boston  Tea  Party, 
the  first  Congress,  and,  eventually,  American  inde- 
pendence. 

In  1774  Dr.  Warren  was  chosen  a  deleerate  from 
Suffolk  County  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  became  thenceforward  the  leadinor  man  of  the 
province.  At  this  time  John  Hancock  was  President 
of  the  Provincial  Congress,  but  when  he  went  to  the 
Continental  Congress  at  Philadelphia,  Warren  was 
elected  to  fill  his  place.  Meantime,  the  fourth  anni- 
versary of  the  Boston  Massacre  was  at  hand,  and  some 
of  the  British  officers  had  threatened  that  "  they  would 
take  the  life  of  any  man  who  should  dare  to  speak 
on  that  occasion.''  Warren,  hearing  of  the  threat, 
solicited  the  privilege  of  delivering  the  anniversary 
address. 

On  the  day  appointed,  the  Old  South  Church  was 
filled  with  an  expectant  throng.  Large  numbers  of 
British  soldiers  crowded  the  aisles,  stairways,  and  even 
the  pulpit.  An  ominous  silence  reigned  throughout 
the  vast  multitude  as  they  waited  the  arrival  of  War- 
ren. At  last  he  came,  entering  the  church  through  a 
window  back  of  the  pulpit.  His  friends  were  on  the 
qui  vive  of  alarm — fearing  his  assassination.  ThougK 
standing  ready  to  avenge  such  a  cowardly  act,  would 


JOSEPH  WARREN.  49 

that  atone  for  the  murder  of  their  beloved  Warren  / 
But  the  crisis  passed  as  Warren,  commencing  his  speech 
in  a  firm  voice,  waxed  eloquent  as  he  went  on.  He 
pictured  the  wrongs  of  the  colonies ;  he  proclaimed  the 
corner-stone  of  his  faith — "  Resistance  to  tyrants  is 
obedience  to  God  " — he  painted  the  scenes  of  the  Bos- 
ton Massacre  in  such  colors,  and  with  such  pathos  of 
appeal,  that  the  soldiery  who  had  come  there  to  awe  him 
by  their  presence,  shed  tears  at  the  sad  picture.  To 
the  relief  of  the  friends  of  Warren,  no  outbreak 
occurred  during  the  address,  though  it  was  frequently 
interrupted  by  the  groans  and  hisses  of  the  tories,  and 
the  applause  of  the  patriots. 

This  speech  aroused  the  enthusiasm  of  the  country 
to  the  highest  pitch,  and  all  hearts  beat  with  the  com- 
mon sentiment  which  he  had  proclaimed — "Resistance 
to  tyrants  is  obedience  to  God.'^  One  of  Warren's 
biographers,  speaking  of  this  time,  says :  "  Such  another 
hour  has  seldom  appeared  in  the  history  of  man,  and  is 
not  surpassed  in  the  records  of  nations.  The  thunders 
of  Demosthenes  rolled  at  a  distance  from  Philip  and 
his  host ;  and  Tully  poured  the  fiercest  torrent  of  his 
invectives  when  Cataline  was  at  a  distance,  and  his 
dagger  no  longer  to  be  feared ;  but  Warren's  speech 
was  made  to  proud  oppressors,  resting  on  their  arms, 
whose  errand  it  was  to  overawe,  and  whose  business  it 
was  to  fight.  If  the  deed  of  Brutus  deserves  to  be 
commemorated,  should  not  this  instance  of  patriotism 
and  bravery  be  held  in  lasting  remembrance  ?  '^ 

Samuel  Adams  was  moderator  of  this  meeting,  and 
notwithstanding  some  disturbance  at  the  close  of 
the  oration,  succeeded  in  finishing  the  business  on  hand 
and  dispersing  the  audience  peaceably. 


50        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  April  the  Provincial  Congress 
adjourned — warned  probably  of  the  approach  of 
General  Gage  with  an  armed  force.  Hancock  and 
Adams,  who  remained  at  Lexington,  were,  it  seems, 
the  special  objects  of  British  hatred,  and  a  plot  was 
concocted  for  their  seizure.  That  their  lives  were  saved 
at  this  time  is  no  doubt  due  to  the  efforts  of  Dr. 
Warren.  Paul  Kevere  says  that  "  on  the  evening  of 
April  eighteenth,  1775,  he  was  sent  for  in  great  haste  by 
Dr.  Warren,  who  begged  that  he  would  immediately 
set  off  for  Lexington  and  acquaint  Adams  and  Han- 
cock of  their  danger."  But  when  the  impetuous 
Eevere  arrived  at  Warren's  house,  he  found  that  an 
express  had  already  preceded  him.  It  is  said  that  Dr. 
Warren  participated  in  the  battle  of  the  next  day — 
April  nineteenth — when  the  first  blood  was  shed  in 
behalf  of  American  independence,  and  that  a  ball  took 
off  part  of  his  ear-lock. 

Warren  was  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Safety, 
and  on  May  nineteenth  this  committee  was  delegated 
full  powers  by  the  Provincial  Congress  to  manage  the 
military  force  of  the  province.  Everywhere,  men  were 
flocking  around  the  standard  of  liberty,  and  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  was  now  fully  inaugurated. 

Warren  was  commissioned  major-general  four  days 
previous  to  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  but  did  not 
assume  command  on  that  historic  day,  choosing  rather 
to  fight  as  a  volunteer.  The  day  before  the  battle,  in 
a  conversation  with  Mr.  Gerry,  at  Cambridge,  he  dis- 
cussed *^  the  determination  of  Congress  to  take  posses- 
sion of  Bunker  Hill."  He  said,  that  for  himself  he 
had  been  opposed  to  it,  but  that  the  majority  had 
determined  upon   it,  and  he  would  hazard  his  life  to 


JOSEPH   WARBEN.  51 

carry  that  determination  into  effect.  Mr.  Gerry  ex- 
pressed his  disapprobation  of  the  measure,  as  he  con- 
sidered it  impossible  to  hold,  adding,  '^  but  if  it  must 
be  so,  it  is  not  worth  while  for  you  to  be  present;  it 
will  be  madness  for  you  to  expose  yourself  where  your 
destruction  will  be  almost  inevitable.'^  "  I  know  it," 
he  answered,  '^but  I  live  within  the  sound  of  their 
cannon ;  how  could  I  hear  their  roaring  in  so  glorious 
a  cause  and  not  be  there  ? '' 

Again  INIr.  Gerry  remonstrated,  and  concluded  with 
saying,  "As  sure  as  you  go  there,  you  will  be  slain !  '^ 

General  Warren  replied  enthusiastically,  "  It  is  sweet 
to  die  for  one's  country !  " 

That  night  he  was  busily  engaged  with  public  affairs 
at  Watertown,  and  did  not  reach  Cambridge  until  five 
o'clock  next  morning.  Throwing  himself  on  a  bed,  he 
slept  until  nearly  noon,  when  he  was  aroused  with  the 
news  of  the  approaching  battle  at  Charlestown.  Hastily 
rising,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  to  the  scene  of 
action — reaching  Breed's  Hill  a  short  time  before  the 
opening  of  the  battle.  Colonel  Prescott  rode  forward 
to  resign  his  command  and  report  for  orders,  but  War- 
ren did  not  choose  to  take  the  position  at  that  time, 
saying  that  he  considered  it  honor  enough  to  fight 
under  so  brave  an  officer.  He  borrowed  a  musket 
and  a  cartridge-box,  and  rushing  into  the  hottest  of 
the  fray,  encouraged  the  men  by  his  brave  words  and 
braver  example.  Three  times  the  British  charged  the 
redoubt  on  the  hill,  and  were  twice  driven  back.  At 
the  third  charge,  when  the  ammunition  of  the  Provin- 
cials gave  out,  and  when  a  terrible  enfilading  fire  swept 
the  inner  line  of  the  redoubt,  they  were  obliged  to  fall 
back.     AVarren  was  killed  after  the  retreat  began — one 


52        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

of  the  last  to  leave  the  redoubt.  The  fatal  bullet 
pierced  his  brain,  producing  almost  instant  death.  He 
was  buried  on  the  spot  where  he  fell. 

"And  thus  Warren  fell — liappy  death,  noble  fall, 
To  perish  for  country  at  liberty's  call ! " 

His  presentiment  had  been  fulfilled.  His  life  had 
been  freely  given  for  the  cause  he  held  dearer  than 
life. 

In  April  of  the  following  year,  after  the  British  troops 
had  left  Boston,  the  "remains  were  disinterred  and  borne 
in  solemn  procession  from  the  E-epresentatives'  Chamber 
to  King's  Chapel,  and  buried  with  full  military  and  Ma- 
sonic honors.  Perez  Morton,  one  of  the  most  impres- 
sive orators  of  his  time,  pronounced  an  oration  on  the 
occasion,  and  the  patriot  divine.  Dr.  Samuel  Cooper, 
conducted  the  funeral  services.  The  orphan  children 
of  Warren  and  his  aged  mother  were  there,  and  the 
sad  silence,  was  broken  by  her  sobs.  His  remains 
have  since  been  removed  by  his  family  from  King's 
Chapel  to  St.  Paul's  Church." 

In  1794  a  monument  was  raised  to  his  memory  by 
the  Masonic  lodge  of  Charlestown.  "  It  consisted  of  a 
brick  pedestal,  eight  feet  square,  rising  ten  feet  from 
the  ground,  and  supporting  a  Tuscan  pillar  of  wood, 
eighteen  feet  high.  This  was  surmounted  by  a  gilt 
urn,  bearing  the  inscription :  ^  J.  W.,  aged  35.'  The 
simple  epitaph  w^as  entwined  with  Masonic  emblems." 
After  standing  forty  years,  the  monument  gave  place 
to  the  present  granite  obelisk,  w^iich  rises  to  the  height 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  historic  hill, 
and  in  which  is  enclosed  a  statue  of  General  Warren. 

In  1777  a  resolution  was  passed  by  Congress  to  erect 


JOSEPH  WARREN.  53 

a  monument  to  Warren  in  the  town  of  Boston,  bearing 

this  inscripti  on : 

"  In  Honor  of 

Joseph  Warren, 

Major-General  of  Massachusetts  Bay. 

He  devoted  his  life  to  the  liberties 

of  his  country ; 

And  in  bravely  defending  them,  fell 

an  early  victim. 

In  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 

June  17,  1775. 

The  Congress  of  the  United  States 

As  an  acknowledgment  of  his  services, 

Have  erected  this  monument 

To  his  memory." 

But  the  patriotic  order  was  never  executed.  His 
truest  monument  is  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen, 
where,  after  the  lapse  of  a  century,  the  glory  that 
crowns  his  name  shines  as  brightly  as  on  the  day  of  his 
heroic  death. 


CHAPTER    III. 
NATHANIEL    OREENK. 

Birthplace  and  Ancestry. — Work  at  the  Plough  and  the  Anvil. — 
Studying  Euclid  over  the  Forge. — Education  under  Disadvantages. 
— Lindley  Murray  and  Dr.  Styles. — Love  of  the  Dance. — Ingenious 
Shingle  Device. — Marriage. — On  the  Eoad  to  Lexington. — Made  a 
Major-General. — Expelled  from  the  Quakers. — Sick  in  Camp. — At 
Trenton. — The  Brandywine. — Greene's  Bravery. — Germantown. 
— The  Fight  through  the  Fog. — Valley  Forge  and  Monmouth. — 
The  Army  of  the  South. — The  Long  Chase  of  Cornwallis. — Siege 
of  Ninety-six. — Eetirement. 

THIS  scion  of  a  Quaker  stock  was  one  of  the 
strongest  characters  brought  out  by  the  Revolu- 
tion. His  moral  worth,  sound  mind  and  good  gener- 
alship were  second  only  to  those  of  Washington,  and 
side  by  side  with  that  great  patriot  he  breasted  the 
wave  of  tyranny  which  rolled  over  from  the  mother 
country. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  May,  1742,  in  "Warwick, 
Rhode  Island,  Nathaniel  Greene  first  saw  the  light. 
His  remote  ancestors  were  English,  his  father  a  strict 
Quaker  preacher.  The  paternal  purse  not  being  filled 
to  overflowing,  the  boyhood  of  young  Nathaniel  was 
one  of  almost  constant  toil.  But  his  energies  could  not 
be  confined  to  the  work  of  the  anvil  or  the  plough, 
and  he  found  his  way  to  books  despite  every  obstacle. 
He  became  acquainted  with  Lindley  Murray  and  Dr. 
Styles,  and  made  them  contributors  to  his  stock  of 
knowledge.  He  read  Horace  and  Ceesar,  worked  the 
(54) 


NATHANIEL   GREENE.  55 

problems  of  Euclid  over  his  forge,  dipped  into  meta- 
physics and  logic,  and  even  Blackstone  and  law  diction- 
aries did  not  escape  his  craving  mind.  He  was  also 
fond  of  field  sports  and  other  kinds  of  exhilarating 
exercise,  and,  contrary  to  the  strictures  of  his  Quaker 
father,  indulged  a  very  un-Quakerlike  love  for  the 
mazy  dance. 

Discovered  in  the  indulgence  of  this  species  of  amuse- 
ment, he  prepared  for  the  expected  horsewhipping  by 
lining  his  jacket  with  strips  of  shingle,  and  thus  escaped 
unhurt  from  the  parental  flagellation. 

At  twenty  he  was  vigorous  in  body,  bold  in  mind, 
and  took  an  active  part  in  the  political  discussions  of 
the  day.  The  passage  of  the  Stamp  Act  decided  his 
course  of  action,  and  at  once  he  was  enrolled  among  the 
patriot  band  of  the  Revolution.  In  1770  he  was 
elected  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  colony,  and  four 
years  later  his  marriage  with  Miss  Littlefield  took 
place.  In  the  spring  of  1775  he  was  on  his  way  to 
Lexington,  and  with  the  rank  of  major-general,  was 
placed  in  command  of  sixteen  hundred  Rhode  Island 
men.  His  love  for  the  military  brought  down  on 
him  the  displeasure  pf  the  Quakers,  and  he  was  formally 
expelled  from  that  society  during  this  same  eventful 
year. 

Greene  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  drill  with 
vigor,  and  had  soon  put  his  Rhode  Island  troops  in 
good  condition  for  the  field.  After  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  his  command  was  removed  to  Cambridge,  and 
here  he  gained  the  lasting  esteem  and  confidence  of 
Washington. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British,  Greene 
was  placed  in  command  of  Long  Island,  at  which  point 


56         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

an  attack  was  hourly  anticipated.  His  head-quarters 
were  established  at  Brooklyn,  and  the  surrounding 
woods  and  roads  were  explored  and  guarded  at  all 
points  of  access.  Every  precaution  was  taken  to  insure 
success  to  the  patriot  band.  But  while  this  defensive 
work  went  forward,  Greene  was  seized  with  fever,  and 
for  days  lay  hovering  between  life  and  death.  While 
in  this  helpless  condition,  the  cannon  of  the  enemy 
thundered  in  his  front,  and  defeat  to  the  American  arms 
followed.  This  disaster  was  a  source  of  bitter  grief  to 
General  Greene,  and  the  result  was  no  doubt  due  to  his 
absence  from  the  field.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  ride, 
his  troops  were  summoned  to  the  defence  of  New  York, 
which  was  threatened  by  the  enemy.  At  Harlem  a  stand 
was  made  and  a  brilliant  fight  ensued.  General  Greene 
behaving  Avith  great  bravery  in  this  his  first  battle. 
When  the  enemy  pushed  forward  from  Fort  Washing- 
ton on  Staten  Island  towards  Fort  Lee,  Greene,  who 
had  been  stationed  at  that  point,  succeeded  by  superior 
strategy  in  cutting  off  their  retreat  to  the  Hackensack. 
He  threw  himself  across  their  track  and  kept  them  at 
bay  until  AVashington  came  to  his  relief.  In  the  retreat 
through  the  Jerseys,  Greene  was  the  companion  of 
Washington,  and  shared  his  glory  and  his  vicissitudes. 
The  brilliant  surprise  of  Trenton  was  planned  in  part 
by  his  strategy,  and  the  night  of  its  caputre  he  com- 
manded the  division  with  which  Washington  marched 
iu  person. 

In  the  winter  of  1777  Greene  was  in  command  of 
a  division  stationed  at  Baskingridge,  New  Jersey, 
where  a  series  of  skirmishes  occupied  the  winter.  To 
aid  in  the  reorganization  of  the  army  for  the  next  cam- 
paign and  hasten  the  action  of  Congress  in  the  matter, 


NATHANIEL   GREENE.  57  " 

Greene  was  despatched  to  Philadelphia  as  the  fittest 
person  for  such  a  mission,  and  the  one  most  likely  to 
succeed  in  influencing  that  body  towards  a  favorable 
result. 

On  the  tenth  of  September  of  that  year  the  Ameri- 
cans were  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Brandy  wine, 
and  the  next  day  witnessed  the  battle  which  made  this 
ground  historic.  The  Americans  were  massed  at  the 
ford,  and  stubbornly  contested  the  enemy's  advance. 
But  a  heavy  force  under  Howe  and  Corn wal lis  had 
crossed  the  river  by  a  circuitous  route  and  were  rap- 
idly marching  upon  the  American  rear.  At  this  un- 
expected manoeuvre  the  patriot  ranks  were  thrown  into 
confusion  and  were  flying  in  disorder,  when  Greene 
with  two  fresh  brigades  came  to  their  rescue.  His 
field-pieces  were  planted  in  the  path  of  the  enemy,  and 
by  their  well-directed  fire  arrested  the  headlong  ad- 
vance of  the  British.  The  flight  which  had  begun  in 
panic  was  now  converted  into  a  well-ordered  retreat, 
and,  halting  in  a  narrow  defile,  Greene  drew  up  his 
troops  in  line  of  battle.  This  gave  them  the  advantage 
of  position,  and  they  awaited  the  onset  of  the  foe. 
The  British  came  on  in  a  wild  charge,  only  to  be  hurled 
back  by  the  death-dealing  fire  of  the  patriot  troops. 
Again  and  again  did  the  enemy  endeavor  to  take  this 
strong  position,  but  without  avail.  Greene  and  his 
invincible  men  held  their  ground  without  wavering 
until  night  brought  the  conflict  to  a  close.  The 
enemy  then  retired,  leaving  the  American  forces  in 
victorious  possession  of  the  field. 

When  Howe  occupied  Philadelphia,  and  Washing- 
ton had  determined  upon  making  an  attack  on  the 
enemy  at  Germantown,  Greene  was  intrusted  with  the 


58         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

command  of  the  left  wing  of  the  American  army. 
The  battle  commenced  at  daybreak  on  the  fourth  of 
October,  and  the  contending  armies  were  veiled  from 
each  other's  view  by  a  thick  fogi  The  long  blaze  of 
musketry  fire  flashing  out  from  the  gloom  was  the  only 
guide  which  directed  the  aim  of  the  patriot  forces. 
But  they  rushed  forward  into  the  village  driving  the 
enemy  before  them,  when  suddenly,  in  the  confusion 
and  gloom  of  the  morning,  the  division  of  Stevens  be- 
came panic-stricken,  and  Cornwallis  arriving  with 
fresh  troops,  the  patriot  forces  were  compelled  to  fall 
back.  General  Greene  conducted  this  retreat  in  a 
masterly  manner.  A  running  fight  was  kept  up  for 
five  miles,  and  the  day  closed  in  disappointment  to  the 
Americans.  But  reverses  sometimes  only  serve  to 
give  greater  strength,  and  the  lessons  of  this  day  were 
neither  lost  nor  fruitless. 

During  the  winter  at  Valley  Forge,  Greene  was 
of  great  service  in  reorganizing  the  army,  especially 
in  the  quarter-master  and  commissary  departments, 
which  it  seems  were  sadly  in  need  of  a  wholesome 
change.  At  the  urgent  desire  of  Washington  and 
Congress,  he  had  accepted  the  position  of  quarter- 
master-general, and  the  result  proved  the  wisdom  of 
their  choice,  as  an  immediate  reform  in  those  depart- 
ments amply  demonstrated. 

Greene  stood  with  Washington  in  counselling  the 
battle  of  Monmouth,  while  a  majority  of  officers 
opposed  it,  and  to  his  services  on  that  field  the  victory 
was  largely  due.  After  twenty-four  hours  of  fighting 
and  constant  exercise  and  anxiety,  discharging  the 
double  duties  of  his  two  offices,  he  was  at  last  enabled 
to  throw  himself  down  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  wrapped 
in  his  cloak,  to  snatch  a  few  hours  of  needed  rest. 


NATHANIEL  GREENE.  59 

Afterwards,  when  the  attack  on  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  was  planned,  Greene's  command  constituted  a 
portion  of  the  force  under  Sullivan,  which  was  marched 
northward  for  that  purpose.  The  misfortune  which 
rendered  powerless  the  aid  of  D'Estaing's  fleet,  defeated 
their  well-laid  plans,  and  a  retreat  was  rendered  neces- 
sary. Greene's  "coolness  and  judgment"  on  this 
occasion  were  conspicuous. 

After  the  burning  of  EHzabethtown  by  Clinton,  an 
interval  of  inaction  and  inactivity  followed.  The  slow 
current  of  affairs  was  suddenly  broken  by  the  treason 
of  Arnold  and  the  arrest  of  Andre.  Greene  presided 
over  the  court  of  inquiry  which  convicted  that  brave 
young  officer;  but  neither  his  sympathies  nor  his 
regrets  were  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  solemn 
execution  of  his  duty  in  this  important  trust.  After- 
wards he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  armies 
of  the  South,  and  his  presence  and  good  generalship 
revealed  themselves  in  the  most  encouraging  results. 
Marion,  Sumter,  Pickens,  Morgan,  Howard,  Lee  and 
Carrington  were  the  leaders  under  his  command,  and 
with  such  brave  material,  his  achievements  were 
brilliant  in  the  extreme.  The  superior  strategy  of 
Greene  and  his  fine  tact  were  illustrated  during  his 
campaign  in  the  South  by  the  sorry  chase  he  led  Corn- 
wallis.  For  nearly  a  month  that  general  kept  up  his 
pursuit  of  Greene  without  being  able  to  entrap  him  or 
out-general  his  masterly  manoeuvres,  and  the  retreat 
ended  only  when  the  Americans  were  landed  safely  on 
the  northern  banks  of  the  River  Dan.  In  the  subse- 
quent battle  of  Guilford  Court-House,  Greene  took  an 
active  part,  as  also  in  the  field  at  Camden,  and  the 
sharply  contested  siege  of  Fort  Ninety-Six. 


60         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

The  execution  by  the  British  of  Colonel  Hayne  in 
Charleston  as  a  spy,  greatly  exasperated  Greene,  who 
threatened  retaliation — a  promise  likely  enough  to  have 
been  fulfilled  had  the  war  continued.  At  the  battle 
of  Eutaw  Springs,  Greene's  losses  were  severe,  though 
in  this  engagement  he  took  five  hundred  prisoners. 

The  campaign  of  1781  closed,  leaving  South  Caro- 
lina again  in  possession  of  its  rightful  owners. 

The  State  Assembly,  in  1782,  voted  General  Greene 
an  address  of  thanks  for  his  distinguished  services,  to 
which  was  added  a  gift  of  ten  thousand  guineas.  After 
the  evacuation  of  Charleston,  Greene  made  a  trium- 
phal entry  into  that  city  on  the  fourteenth  of  Decem- 
ber, accompanied  by  a  civil  and  military  escort,  the 
governor  riding  by  his  side.  After  the  war  he  removed 
to  a  plantation  at  Mulberry  Grove,  on  the  Savannah 
River,  in  Georgia,  where  he  lived  until  his  death.  At 
the  age  of  forty-four  his  life  was  cut  short  by  an 
unhappy  exposure  to  the  rays  of  a  southern  sun.  On 
June  nineteenth,  1786,  he  breathed  his  last  and  received 
his  promotion  to  a  higher  sphere.  His  memory  lives, 
entwined  with  that  of  Washington  and  all  the  patriot 
dead  whose  precious  services  gave  to  us  a  country  and 
with  it  transmitted  the  sacred  heritage  of  freedom. 


CHAPTER   IV. 
LAFAYETTE. 

Noble  Lineage  of  the  Marquis.— Early  Surroundings.— A  Member 
of  the  King's  Regiment.— Commissioned  at  Fifteen.— Marriage.— 
The  Dinner  at  Metz.— Noble  Resolve.— Preparations  to  Sail  for 
America.— Obstacles  Everywhere.— Voyage  of  the  "Victory."— 
Arrival.— Home  of  Benjamin  Huger.— Journey  to  Philadelphia. 
—Fighting  for  Liberty.— Battle  of  Brandywine.— Services  in  the 
Revolution.— Arnold  and  Lafayette.— Return  to  France.— Visit  to 
the  United  States.— Terrors  of  the  French  Revolution.— Flight 
and  Imprisonment.— The  Magdeburg  Dungeon.— Liberated  by 
Napoleon.— Visit  to  the  United  States  in  1824.— Joyful  Welcome. 
—The  Citizen  King  of  the  French.— Last  Days  of  Lafayette. 

THE  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  of  glorious  memory, 
was  descended  from  a  long  line  of  noble  ancestry. 
His  father,  also  a  marquis  and  a  chevalier  of  the  order 
of  St.  Louis,  bravely  fought  and  fell  on  the  field  of 
Minden,  Germany,  under  the  leadership  of  the  Duke 
de  Broglie,  two  months  before  Lafayette  was  born. 
His  mother  came  of  the  noble  house  of  Lusignan. 

At  the  family  chateau  of  the  ancient  line,  in  Cha- 
vagniac,  province  of  Auvergne,  France,  on  September 
sixth,  1757,  Lafayette  was  born.  All  the  luxury  that 
wealth  could  give,  all  the  advantages  which  titled 
rank  could  confer,  awaited  him.  His  cliildhood  was  a 
pathway  of  flowers.  No  adverse  circumstances  arose 
like  mountains,  in  the  road  down  which  he  was  to  walk. 
Not  then,  nor  afterwards,  until  he  deliberately  chose 
the  rugged  way,  because  liberty  was  found  in  it,  and 
he  preferred  hardship  with  liberty  to  luxury  without  it. 

(CD 


62        HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

When  he  had  arrived  at  the  age  of  twelve,  he  was 
sent  to  the  Plessis  college  at  Paris,  where  he  became  a 
favorite  at  the  royal  court  of  Louis  the  Grand,  and 
received  the  appointment  of  one  of  the  queen's  pages. 
Having  also  joined  the  king's  regiment  of  musketeers, 
the  queen  obtained  for  him  a  commission  when  he  was 
only  fifteen  years  old.  At  sixteen  he  was  married  to  a 
daughter  of  the  Duke  D'Ayen,  a  young  lady  fourteen 
years  old;  and  though  the  alliance  was  favored  and 
promoted  by  relatives  on  both  sides,  it  was  said  to  be 
purely  a  love-aifair  between  the  young  marquis  and  his 
girlish  bride.  For  once,  at  least,  the  old  adage  was 
contradicted,  and  the  course  of  true  love  seemed  to  run 
smooth.  After  his  marriage  the  new  relatives  of  Lafay- 
ette endeavored  to  obtain  a  position  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  king,  for  the  marquis,  but  their  plans 
were  defeated  by  Lafayette  himself,  who  had  no  relish 
for  the  favors  of  royalty.  The  negotiations  regarding 
the  matter  were  pending  a  long  time,  and  before  they 
were  concluded  an  event  occurred  which  changed  the 
whole  current  of  Lafayette's  life,  and  gave  him  to 
future  fame  as  the  champion  of  American  liberty. 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1776,  about  two  years 
after  his  marriage,  Lafayette,  who  was  at  that  time  an 
officer  in  the  French  army  stationed  at  Metz,  met  the 
Duke  of  Gloucester,  brother  of  King  George  the  Third, 
at  the  head-quarters  of  the  commandant  of  the  place. 
A  dinner  was  given  to  the  distinguished  guest,  and 
Lafayette  was  among  the  number  invited  to  be  present. 
At  table  the  leading  topic  of  conversation  was  the 
struggle  then  going  on  in  America,  and  there  was  at 
least  one  deeply  interested  listener.  Many  of  the 
details  of  the  contest  across  the  water,  Lafayette  now 


LAFAYETTE.  63 

heard  for  the  first  time,  and  he  took  part  in  the  conver- 
sation with  great  earnestness.  He  seemed  to  compre- 
hend the  situation  at  a  glance,  and  saw  that  the  cause 
of  the  American  colonies  Avas  the  cause  of  "justice,  of 
liberty,  of  heaven." 

Before  he  rose  from  the  table  his  resolution  was 
taken.  Henceforward  he  would  identify  himself  with 
the  struggling  colonists  on  the  soil  of  the  new  world. 
Speaking  of  this  time  he  says :  "When  I  first  learned 
tlie  subject  of  this  quarrel  my  heart  espoused  warmly 
the  cause  of  liberty,  and  I  thought  of  nothing  but 
adding  also  the  aid  of  my  banner Such  a  glo- 
rious cause  had  never  before  attracted  the  attention  of 
mankind.'' 

With  Lafayette,  to  resolve  was  to  act,  and  he  made 
preparations  at  once  to  go  to  America.  His  friends 
and  relatives  strongly  opposed  him  in  the  step  he  was 
about  to  take,  and  discouragements  sprang  up  in  hia 
path  everywhere.  But  his  young  enthusiasm  and 
dauntless  courage  were  not  to  be  thus  overcome.  End- 
less difficulties  confronted  him  before  he  could  leave 
the  ports  of  France  on  his  outward-bound  voyage,  and 
at  last  he  was  driven  to  the  extreme  of  purchasing  a 
ship  of  his  own,  since  all  other  means  of  transportation 
had  been  denied  him.  With  sublime  courage  he  con- 
quered every  obstacle  which  stood  between  him  and 
the  achievement  of  his  glorious  purpose  to  enroll  him- 
self among  the  defenders  of  American  liberty.  At 
last,  after  having  run  the  gauntlet  of  exposure  a  long 
time,  he  set  sail  for  the  shores  of  the  new  world.  His 
ship  was  named  the  "Victory."  As  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  he  had  gone,  the  French  court  despatched 
orders  to  the  West  Indies  to  arrest  his  progress,  as  it 


64        HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

was  customaiy  for  all  French  cruisers  to  take  that 
route.  But  Lafayette,  anticipating  pursuit,  sailed  di- 
rectly for  an  American  port,  and  after  a  tedious  voyage 
of  seven  weeks  landed  on  the  South  Carolina  coast, 
near  Georgetown,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pedee  River. 
*' Entering  the  river  about  dark,  they  went  ashore  with 
their  boats,  and  attracted  by  a  light  approached  the 
house  of  Major  Benjamin  Iluger.  The  furious  bark- 
ing of  the  dogs  promised  them  anything  but  a  warm 
reception."  The  family  of  Mr.  Huger  at  first  sup- 
posed them  to  be  a  marauding  party,  but  when  their 
character  was  made  known  by  Baron  DeKalb,  who  was 
with  them  and  acted  as  interpreter,  they  were  received 
with  cordial  welcome.  With  the  hospitality  character- 
istic of  the  South,  everything  was  provided  for  the 
comfort  of  the  generous  foreigners  who  had  come  to 
aid  them  in  their  struggle  for  liberty.  Lafayette  was 
agreeably  impressed  with  the  new  country  and  with  the 
unaffected  simplicity  of  the  inhabitants,  and  his  zeal 
for  the  cause  he  had  espoused  continued  unabated. 

Writing  from  Charleston  on  the  nineteenth  of  June, 
he  says :  "  The  country  and  its  inhabitants  are  as  agree- 
able as  my  enthusiasm  had  led  me  to  imagine.  Sim- 
plicity of  manner,  kindness  of  heart,  love  of  country 
and  of  liberty,  and  a  delightful  state  of  equality  are 
met  with  universally."  At  Charleston  he  received  the 
respect  and  attention  due  his  high  standing  and  his 
noble  devotion  to  principle.  He  had  left  that  city  by 
carriage  for  Philadelphia,  where  Congress  was  then 
assembled,  to  ask  the  privilege  of  joining  the  American 
army.  He  had  before  him  a  journey  of  nine  hundred 
miles  over  rough  roads,  the  greater  part  of  which  was 
accomplished  on  horseback.     He  was  a  month  on  the 


LAFAYETTE.  65 

road;  but  he  arrived  at  last  at  Philadel2)hia,  while 
AYashington  was  encamped  at  Germantown,  ten  miles 
from  the  city,  after  having  made  his  historic  passage 
of  the  Delaware.  On  the  thirty-first  of  July,  Congress 
conferred  on  Lafayette  the  rank  of  major-general.  It 
was  entirely  unsolicited  on  his  part,  as  he  had  asked 
simply  to  serve  as  a  volunteer  at  his  own  expense. 

When  AYashington  arrived  at  Philadelphia  he  met 
Lafayette  at  a  dinner  party,  and  having  been  made 
acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of  his  coming  to 
America,  complimented  him  upon  his  zeal  and  sacri- 
fices and  invited  him  to  consider  the  head-quarters  of 
the  army  his  home.  This  was  the  beginning  of  an 
intimate  and  lifelong  friendship  between  Lafayette  and 
Washington. 

When  the  Continental  army  marched  through  the 
streets  of  Philadelphia  on  its  way  to  Delaware,  Lafay- 
ette was  at  the  side  of  the  commanding  general,  and 
shortly  afterwards,  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  dis- 
tinguished himself  for  his  bravery,  covering  the  retreat 
of  the  American  forces  in  a  masterly  manner.  During 
the  action  he  received  a  severe  wound  in  his  leg,  but 
fought  gallantly  on,  unheeding  the  stream  of  blood 
which  flowed  over  his  boot-top.  He  was  afterwards 
laid  up  for  six  weeks  with  this  first  wound  In  liberty's 
cause.  In  the  battle  of  Brandywine  Lafayette  fought 
as  a  volunteer,  not  having  yet  obtained  a  command, 
though  his  commission  had  been  received  some  time 
previous.  When  Congress  conferred  on  him  the  rank 
of  major-general  he  lacked  one  month  of  being  twenty 
years  of  age,  and  he  had  already  entered  upon  a  career 
of  almost  unparalleled  brightness. 

In  the  winter  of  1777-78  a  party  conspiracy  was 


66         HEROES  OF   THREE    WARS. 

formed,  whose  object  was  to  displace  Washington  and 
give  the  chief  command  to  General  Gates.  With  a 
view  to  detaching  Lafayette  from  his  interest,  an  expe- 
dition against  Canada  was  planned  and  Lafayette  ap- 
pointed to  the  chief  command.  But  with  a  noble 
integrity  he  refused  to  accept  the  position  unless  he 
could  be  considered  as  acting  under  Washington  and 
subject  to  his  orders.  But  the  ambitious  designs  of  the 
cabal  proved  abortive,  and  the  expedition  to  Canada 
was  abandoned. 

In  May  following,  he  conducted  a  retreat  from  Bar- 
ren Hill,  in  the  face  of  superior  numbers,  with  a  skill 
which  won  the  admiration  of  the  army,  and  his  gallant 
services  at  the  battle  of  Monmouth  in  the  succeeding 
month  elicited  the  thanks  of  Congress.  At  the  close 
of  the  campaign  of  1778  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Con- 
gress, enclosing  one  from  Washington.  In  this  letter, 
among  other  things,  he  says :  "As  long  as  I  thought  I 
could  dispose  of  myself,  I  made  it  my  pride  and 
pleasure  to  fight  under  American  colors  in  defence  of  a 
cause  which  I  dare  more  particularly  call  ours,  because 
I  had  the  good  fortune  of  bleeding  for  her.  Now  that 
France  is  involved  in  a  war,  I  am  urged  by  a  sense  of 
my  duty  as  well  as  by  the  love  of  my  country,  to  present 
myself  before  the  king  and  know  in  what  manner  he 
judges  proper  to  employ  my  services."  He  then  asks 
permission  of  Congress  to  return  to  France  as  a  soldier 
on  furlough,  and  tenders  his  services  in  behalf  of  the 
American  cause  in  his  own  country.  Congress  granted 
the  permission  he  asked,  giving  him  unlimited  leave 
of  absence  and  instructing  the  president  to  write  him 
a  letter  of  thanks  for  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  American 
independence.    A  sword  was  also  presented  him  in  the 


LAFAYETTE.  67 

name  of  the  United  States  as  a  token  of  gratitude  and 
esteem. 

He  landed  on  the  French  coast  February  twelfth, 
1779,  and  met  with  a  warm  reception  among  his  en- 
tlmsiastic  countrymen.  The  court,  at  first  cold  and 
distant,  afterwards  appointed  him  to  a  command  in  the 
king's  regiment,  where  he  served  with  his  usual  activity 
during  the  year. 

In  March,  1780,  Lafayette  returned  to  the  United 
States  and  again  tendered  his  services  to  Congress. 
They  were  gratefully  accepted ;  and  from  that  time 
until  the  close  of  hostilities  he  took  an  active  part  in 
the  colonial  struggle  for  independence.  He  succeeded 
in  infusing  into  his  men  some  of  his  own  enthusiasm 
for  the  cause  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  prevented 
desertions  by  appeals  to  the  honor  of  his  troops,  instead 
of  adopting  the  usual  harsh  code.  He  defended  Vir- 
ginia against  the  invasion  of  Cornwallis  with  masterly 
skill,  and  in  Baltimore  raised  means  from  his  own 
credit  with  the  merchants  of  that  city,  to  obtain  much 
needed  supplies  of  clothing. 

In  the  trying  times  of  Arnold's  treason,  when  the 
question,  "Whom  can  we  trust  now?"  "was  anxiously 
asked,  Lafayette  was  the  bosom-friend  of  Wasliington, 
and  his  counsel  and  advice  were  ever  relied  upon. 
AVhen  an  accident  threw  upon  Arnold  the  command 
of  the  entire  British  force  in  Virginia,  Lafayette  refused 
to  hold  any  correspondence  whatever  with  him.  He 
returned  a  letter,  sent  by  flag  of  truce,  unopened,  wnth 
the  reply  that  if  any  of  the  British  officers  had  w^rltten 
to  him  he  would  have  been  happy  to  receive  their 
communications,  and  extend  to  them  the  courtesy  ren- 
djered    necessary  by   the   death   of  their   commander, 


68        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

General  Phillips — an  event  which  had  just  occurred 
and  which  was  the  occasion  of  Arnold's  position. 

After  the  surrender  of  Cornwall  is,  Lafayette  again 
petitioned  Congress  for  leave  of  absence  to  visit  his 
family  in  France,  and  thus  terminated  his  connection 
with  the  Revolutionary  war.  "  From  Congress,  from 
the  several  States,  from  literary  institutions  and  from 
assemblies  of  the  people  on  every  side,  he  received  the 
most  ample  testimonials  of  the  high  sense  universally 
entertained  of  his  disinterested  sacrifices  in  the  cause 
of  American  freedom  and  of  the  distinguished  ability 
and  success  with  which  he  had  consecrated  to  it 
the  flower  of  his  manhood."  Prayers  and  blessings 
followed  him  across  the  Atlantic.  Congress  intrusted 
him  with  confidential  })owers  to  his  government,  and 
wrote  a  letter  recommending  him  to  his  king  "in 
words  of  unequivocal  praise."  France  received  him 
with  demonstrations  of  joy,  and  the  king  conferred  on 
him  the  rank  of  field-marshal. 

After  the  fall  of  Yorktovvn  another  year  was  occu- 
pied by  turbulent  conferences  and  negotiations  for 
peace.  Lafayette,  as  confidential  agent  of  the  United 
States  in  the  old  world,  was  largely  instrumental  in 
securing  the  happy  termination  of  the  negotiations, 
and  was  the  first  one  to  send  the  joyful  tidings  to 
America.  In  his  eagerness,  he  chartered  a  ship  espe- 
cially for  that  purpose.  Through  his  influence  also, 
Spain  the  more  speedily  recognized  the  independence 
of  the  United  States. 

When  everything  in  his  power  had  been  done  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  interest  of  America  in  Europe, 
Lafayette  accepted  the  urgent  invitation  of  Washington 
to  visit  the  country  for  whose  freedom  he  had  so  freely 


LAFAYETTE.  g9 

expended  blood  and  treasure.  He  was  also  prompted 
by  his  own  strong  desire  to  meet  once  more  his 
comrades-in-arms.  He  embarked  at  Havre  on  July 
first,  1784,  and  arrived  in  New  York  on  August 
fourth.  His  journey  through  the  United  States  was 
an  ovation.  Universal  welcome  greeted  him,  and  the 
"  triumph  accorded  by  the  heart  of  a  nation  to  one  of 
its  deliverers^'  was  his.  In  every  town  and  village 
through  which  he  passed,  the  mothers  and  daughters 
and  widows  of  the  land,  as  well  as  his  comrades-in- 
arms, gathered  around  him  with  heartfelt  welcome. 
"  Congress  appointed  committees  to  receive  him  and  to 
bid  him  adieu;  and  in  every  way  a  grateful  nation 
showered  upon  him  the  most  gratifying  marks  of  their 
love  and  respect.'' 

On  the  twenty-fifth  of  January,  1785,  he  was  again 
in  Paris.  He  found  France  in  the  state  of  confusion 
which  immediately  preceded  the  Revolution,  and  at 
once  endeavored  to  obtain  for  the  people  a  liberal  basis 
of  government.  Through  him  a  convocation  of  nobles 
was  called  at  which  he  sought  to  obtain  for  his  country- 
men "personal  liberty,  religious  liberty,  and  a  repre- 
sentative assembly  of  the  people." 

Through  strenuous  and  long-continued  efforts  the 
power  of  the  throne  was  at  last  limited,  and  the  people 
found  voice  through  a  legislature.  But  the  lower 
classes,  so  long  held  under  despotic  rule,  were  swept 
in  the  reactionary  wave  of  the  Revolution,  and  the 
terrors  of  that  time  were  now  inaugurated.  Kings, 
princes  and  nobles  were  beheaded  at  the  bloody  shrine 
of  which  Robespierre  was  high  priest,  and  the  streets 
of  Paris  ran  red  with  the  best  blood  of  France. 

Through  all  these  times  of  terror,  Lafayette  walked 


70        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

with  steady  purpose.  Every  position  which  the  power 
of  the  monarchy  could  offer  was  tendered  him,  but  he 
refused  them  all.  He  would  accept  no  pecuniary 
compensation  for  his  services.  His  aim  was  far  higher 
than  mere  personal  aggrandizement. 

"  Finding  himself,  after  the  execution  of  the  king, 
no  longer  able  to  command  the  army  he  had  created, 
beset  by  enemies,  denounced  in  the  assembly  as  a 
traitor,  and  by  that  assembly  ordered  to  be  arrested, 
Lafayette  had  but  two  alternatives,  either  to  yield  him- 
self to  their  authority,  or  to  fly.  He  chose  the  latter 
course,  but  in  the  territory  of  Liege  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Austrians,  who  treated  him  as  a  prisoner  of 
war.''  Austria  finally  gave  him  into  the  custody  of  the 
Prussian  government,  and  after  being  dragged  about 
for  some  time  from  one  prison  to  another,  he  was  at 
last  taken  to  the  fortress  of  Magdeburg,  where  he  suf- 
fered the  tortures  of  a  living  tomb.  Nothing  could 
excuse  this  inhuman  treatment  received  at  the  hands 
of  the  Austrian  and  Prussian  governments. 

"  When,  after  the  first  victory  of  the  arms  of  Bruns- 
wick, an  exchange  of  prisoners  was  about  to  take  place, 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Emperor  of  Germany,  to 
avoid  his  being  included  in  the  cartel,  and  was  placed 
in  the  dungeons  of  Olmutz,  in  Moravia."  In  this 
prison  he  was  cut  oif  from  all  communication  with  the 
outside  world.  Even  his  jailers  were  forbidden  to 
speak  his  name,  and  neither  knife  nor  fork  was  allowed 
him,  on  account  of  a  fear  that  he  might  be  tempted  to 
put  an  end  to  so  wretched  an  existence. 

His  health  failed  to  such  a  degree  under  this  cruel 
treatment  that  his  physician  repeatedly  declared  him 
unable  to  recover  without  the  aid  of  fresh  air.     The 


LAFA  YETTK  71 

court  of  Vienna  listened  unmoved  to  these  appeals, 
until  at  last,  alarmed  by  the  execrations  of  the  world, 
Lafayette  was  permitted  exercise  abroad  under  an 
armed  guard.  At  this  time  his  rescue  was  attempted 
by  Colonel  Huger  and  Dr.  Boll  man,  which  resulted 
disastrously  in  their  capture  and  imprisonment  for  six 
months. 

The  noble  wife  of  Lafayette,  escaping  the  fate  of  her 
relatives  upon  the  scaffold  only  through  the  fall  of 
Kobespierre,  sought  the  imperial  presence  of  the  Ger- 
man Emperor  and  plead  for  the  release  of  her  hus- 
band. Denied  this  boon,  she  then  asked  permission  to 
share  his  imprisonment.  The  request  was  granted,  but 
her  health  gave  way  under  the  close  confinement,  and 
her  petition  for  a  leave  of  absence  was  refused.  "She 
was  told  that  she  might  go  if  she  would,  but  that  she 
could  never  return.''  With  heroic  devotion  she  re- 
mained; but  her  system  never  recovered  the  shock 
here  incurred.  Wilberforce,  Fox,  General  Fitzpatrick 
and  Washington  all  plead  in  vain  for  the  release  of 
Lafayette ;  but  at  last  Napoleon  came  to  ask  the  same 
favor  with  a  determination  which  would  brook  no 
denial.  "  Napoleon  restored  Lafayette  to  liberty,  but 
scarcely  to  life,  for  his  constitution  was  shattered  and 
his  estates  had  been  wasted  by  the  convulsions  which 
had  shaken  his  country.''  After  the  downfall  of  the 
Directory  he  revisited  France,  now  so  changed,  and 
sought  the  quietude  of  his  home  at  Lagrange.  He 
refused  the  favors  which  Napoleon  heaped  upon  him, 
and  remained  true  to  his  Republican  principles  through 
all  conflicts.  He  rejected  even  the  cross  of  the  Legion 
of  Honor ;  and  the  position  of  Governor  of  Louisiana, 
which  Mr.  Jefferson  offered,  failed  to  allure  him.     He 


72        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

wanted  neither  titles  nor  advancements.  In  the  sedn- 
sion  of  his  family  circle  he  watched  the  progress  of 
events,  and  when  the  empire  of  Napoleon  crumbled 
and  France  was  again  in  danger,  he  appeared  once 
more  in  the  political  arena,  advocating  the  cause  of 
the  people.  All  his  influence  was  used  to  restore 
tranquillity,  but  he  did  not  fail  to  urge  the  representa- 
tive system. 

During  these  troublous  times  his  course  had  been 
eagerly  watched  by  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
and  after  the  restoration  of  Louis  VIII.  both  Houses 
of  Congress  passed  a  resolution  inviting  him  to  this 
continent.  His  second  visit  of  1824  was  the  result. 
He  was  hailed  by  the  Nation  with  joy  and  gratitude, 
and  the  blessings  and  prayers  of  old  and  young  fol- 
lowed him.  He  returned  to  France  to  enter  the 
Revolution  of  1830.  In  this  hour  of  his  country's  need 
he  was  looked  to  for  counsel.  "  The  nation  confided 
to  him  its  fate,  and,  like  Washington,  he  had  the 
privilege  of  refusing  a  crown.  He  felt  that  France 
was  not  ripe  for  the  institutions  of  the  United  States; 
but  he  desired  to  secure  to  the  people  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  their  rights,  though  with  a  king."  The 
supreme  object  of  his  life  was  ended  when  he  had 
presented  to  the  people  the  citizen  king  in  the  person 
of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  Louis  Phillippe,  a  man  tried 
in  adversity  and  found  true.  Here  terminated  his 
great  career. 

He  sleeps  his  last  sleep  in  a  cemetery  near  Paris, 
by  the  side  of  his  faithful  wife  and  daughter.  On 
the  morning  of  the  twentieth  of  May,  1 834,  his  great 
spirit  took  its  flight,  leaving  behind  an  example  of 
the  purest  integrity,  the  loftiest  virtue.    Worldly  power 


LAFAYETTE.  73 

flid  not  tempt  him;  crowns  or  kingdoms  could  not 
allure  him.  He  belonged  not  alone  to  France,  but  to 
America,  to  the  world.  He  was  the  champion  of 
Liberty,  the  advocate  of  the  people.  To  France  he 
was  the  high  priest  of  the  new  Republic,  inauguratmg 
free  thought,  and  a  representative  system.  The  words 
which  fell  from  his  lips  were  the  electric  sparks 
which  fired  the  minds  of  the  people  and  caused  an 
empire  to  tremble  to  its  fall.  His  aspirations  were  to 
elevate  the  condition  of  his  fellow-men.  His  aims 
were  liberty  and  justice.  France  loved  him,  and 
America  reveres  his  memory. 


CHAPTER  Y. 
ISRAEL    PUTNAM. 

Ancestry  of  Putnam.— Boyhood  Days.— Marriage.— Eemoval  to 
Pomfret. — Adventure  with  the  Wolf. — Seven  Years'  War. — Put- 
nam in  Command  of  a  Company. — Adventures  along  the  Hudson. 
— Surprised  by  Indians. — Down  the  Kapids. — Indian  Superstition. 
— Putnam  at  the  Stake. — The  Eescue. — The  Guns  of  Lexington. 
— The  Plow  Exchanged  for  the  Sword. — Murray  Hill  and  the 
Quakeress. — Putnam's  Eapid  Kise  in  the  Avmy. —Buse  at  Prince- 
ton.— Escape  at  Horseneck. — Paralysis. — The  Last  of  Earth. — 
Eulogiums. 

TSRAEL  PUTNAM  was  one  of  the  most  gallant 
-L  and  daring  officers  of  the  revolutionary  war.  He 
was  renowned  for  his  keen  strategy  and  intrepid  brav- 
ery, which  served  him  many  a  good  turn  in  the  adverse 
fortunes  of  war,  and  certainly  no  more  skilful  or  patri- 
otic general  ever  served  his  country  under  the  glorious 
leadership  of  Washington. 

The  boy  Putnam  first  saw  the  light  in  Salem,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  was  ushered  into  the  affairs  of  this 
world  just  seven  days  after  the  new  year  of  1718  had 
spoken  once  and  parted  forever  with  the  old  year  of 
1717.  His  paternal  grandfather  was  one  of  the  Pil- 
grims who  came  over  in  the  "Mayflower"  and  landed 
at  Plymouth  Rock.  The  name  of  this  ancestor  was 
John  Putnam,  who  with  two  brothers  emigrated  from 
the  south  of  England  and  settled  in  Salem. 

Of  the  early  days  of  Putnam  there  are  few  incidents 
to  relate.  He  was  a  plain  farmer^s  boy,  full  of  sturdy 
health  and  brought  up  in  the  simple,  industrious  habits 
(74) 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM.  75 

of  the  times.  When  he  had  arrived  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  married  a  girl  of  Salem,  and  the  next 
year — 1740 — removed  to  the  town  of  Pomfret,  in  Con- 
necticut, where  he  settled  down  into  the  steady  life  of 
a  farmer.  It  is  of  these  days  that  the  well-known 
story  of  Putnam's  adventure  with  the  wolf  is  told — a 
story  which  has  been  disputed  in  some  particulars  by 
several  writers  on  the  subject. 

During  the  fifteen  years  which  succeeded  his  removal 
to  Pomfret,  he  was  occupied  exclusively  with  his  farm 
and  accumulated  a  handsome  property.  Then  came 
the  Seven  Years'  War  between  England  and  France, 
and  Putnam  was  placed  in  command  of  a  company  in 
a  regiment  of  Connecticut  Provincials.  The  vast 
continent  of  North  America  was  the  rich  prize  con- 
tended for,  and  the  long  war  was  inaugurated  by  Brad- 
dock's  expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne,  while  the 
battles  at  Fort  Niagara  and  Fort  Edward  were  enacted 
in  the  early  part  of  the  same  campaign. 

In  this  expedition  Captain  Putnam  and  his  company 
performed  the  duty  of  rangers  and  were  sent  on  special 
and  perilous  service,  reconnoitering  the  enemy's  camp 
and  capturing  their  outposts  and  supplies.  It  was 
during  this  first  campaign  that  Captain  Putnam  saved 
the  life  of  Major  Rogers  of  New  Hampshire. 

At  the  close  of  the  campaign  Captain  Putnam  re- 
turned to  his  home,  but  re-entered  the  service  the  next 
year — 1756 — having  had  his  commission  as  captain 
renewed. 

An  incident  illustrating  his  bravery  and  bold  spirit 
is  told,  respecting  his  recapture  of  provisions  taken  by 
the  enemy.  They  had  been  captured  at  Halfway 
Brook,  between  Fort  Edward  and  Lake  George,  by  a 


76         HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

force  six  hundred  strong.  Putnam  and  Rogers  went 
in  pursuit,  having  about  one  hundred  men  in  boats 
and  two  "  wall-pieces  and  two  blunderbusses."  They 
proceeded  down  the  lake  and  took  a  line  across  the 
land  to  the  narrows,  in  order  to  cut  off  any  possible 
retreat.  "  They  succeeded  in  reaching  the  spot  before 
the  French  with  their  batteau,  now  laden  with  plunder, 
had  gained  it.  Unexpectedly  they  opened  a  tremendous 
fire  upon  them,  killed  many  of  the  boatmen  and  sank 
several  of  the  boats.  The  rest  by  a  strong  wind  were 
swept  into  South  Bay,  and  thus  escaped  to  bear  the 
news  to  Ticonderoga.  Anticipating  their  return  with 
reinforcements,  Putnam  and  Rogers  hastened  to  their 
boats,  and  at  Sabbath-day  Point  they  found  their 
expectations  had  not  deceived  them,  for  the  French, 
about  three  hundred  strong,  were  approaching  on  the 
lake.  When  the  enemy  had  come  within  pistol-short, 
the  wall-pieces  and  blunderbusses  were  unmasked  and 
opened  upon  them,  aided  by  musketry,  producing  the 
most  dreadful  carnage,  and  leaving  the  further  retreat 
of  the  rangers  unmolested." 

It  was  such  adventure  as  this  that  gave  to  Putnam 
a  wide  reputation  for  bravery  and  strategic  skill,  and 
in  1757  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut  conferred  on 
him  a  major's  commission.  If  there  was  a  hazardous 
enterprise  to  be  performed,  or  a  difficult  feat  to  be  ac- 
complished, Putnam  was  the  man  selected  to  do  it. 
Once,  while  lying  on  the  Hudson  in  his  batteau,  near 
the  rapids  at  Fort  Miller,  he  was  surprised  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  a  party  of  Indians  on  the  bank. 
Putnam  had  with  him  only  five  men,  and  to  land  would 
have  been  certain  destruction.  His  decision  was  in- 
stantly taken,  and  wheeling  his  boat  amid  stream  he 


^VV^Vt^.'?.. 


PUTNAM    RESCUED  BY    MOLANG. 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM.  79 

glided  swiftly  towards  the  rapids.  The  dusky  sons  of 
the  forest  watched  him  in  amazement  from  the  shore 
as  his  boat  swept  down  the  dangerous  rapids,  making 
the  passage  safely  and  gliding  out  into  the  smooth 
waters  below.  The  red  men  thought  him  favored  of 
the  Great  Spirit. 

Once,  however,  his  guiding  star  of  good  fortune 
seemed  to  have  forsaken  him.  While  reconnoitering 
the  enemy's  position  at  Ticonderoga,  he  was  surprised 
and  captured  by  a  detachment  of  Indians  under  the 
leadership  of  the  French  officer  Molang,  He  was  tied 
to  a  tree  and  forced  to  remain  there  while  a  hot  struggle 
ensued  between  the  provincials  and  the  French  allies, 
leaving  the  provincials  in  possession  of  the  field.  In 
their  retreat  the  Indians  took  their  prisoner  with  them. 
"He  was  dragged  onward  by  his  foes,  who  stripped 
him  of  his  clothes,  his  shoes  and  hat,  and  forced  him 
to  bear  the  most  cruel  burdens,  while  his  flesh  was 
incessantly  lacerated  by  the  thorns  and  briers  of  the 
woods.  One  of  these  savages  had  struck  him  with  the 
but-end  of  his  musket  and  fractured  his  jaw,  causing 
excruciating  pain,  and  another  had  wounded  him  with 
a  tomahawk  in  the  neck.  His  sufferings  were  not 
ended  with  this  treatment.  He  had  been  destined  to 
perish  at  the  stake,  and  the  brutal  conquerors  had 
already  determined  upon  inflicting  the  most  cruel  tor- 
ture to  add  to  the  bitterness  of  death.  They  bound 
their  victim  to  a  tree,  naked  and  covered  with  wounds, 
and  had  already  lighted  the  fagots  that  were  to  con- 
sume him,  when  one  of  them,  more  humane  than  the 
rest,  informed  Molang  of  his  danger,  and  this  officer 
rushed  to  his  rescue.  .  .  .  Putnam  was  carried  to 
Ticonderoga,  where  he  was  made  known  to  Montcalm, 


80        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

who  had  him  transferred  to  Montreal.  In  this  city- 
there  were  several  American  prisoners,  and  among 
them  Colonel  Peter  Schuyler.  This  gallant  officer 
was  very  much  overcome"  on  seeing  Putnam  stripped 
of  his  clothing,  and  exhibiting  marks  of  such  cruel 
treatment,  and  succeeded  in  getting  him  exchanged 
with  others,  when  the  transfer  of  prisoners  took  place. 

In  1759  Putnam  received  the  rank  of  lieutenant- 
colonel,  and  in  1762,  when  war  broke  out  between 
England  and  Spain,  he  went  to  Cuba  in  command 
of  a  Connecticut  regiment.  After  contributing  to  the 
success  of  the  English  in  subduing  Havana,  he  returned 
to  his  home  in  Connecticut. 

Ten  years  of  his  life  had  thus  far  been  spent  in  war- 
fare, and  with  the  respite  of  another  decade,  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  furnished  an  opportunity  for  the 
continuance  of  his  military  career. 

When  the  guns  of  Lexington,  on  the  memorable 
nineteenth  of  April,  1775,  announced  the  contest  for 
liberty  on  the  soil  of  the  New  World  begun,  Putnam 
was  at  his  plow  in  the  field.  When  the  news  reached 
him,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  galloped  to  the  scene 
of  action.  On  the  twenty-first  a  council  of  war  was 
held  at  which  Putnam  was  present,  and  the  Assembly 
of  Connecticut  conferred  upon  him  the  commission  of 
br  i  gad  ier-general . 

During  the  month  of  May,  General  Putnam  assisted 
by  Warren  succeeded  in  removing  the  cattle  from  the 
islands  in  Boston  Harbor,  thus  cutting  oif  the  supplies 
of  the  enemy.  General  Putnam  also  accompanied  the 
detachment  of  one  thousand  men  that  on  the  night  of 
the  sixteenth  of  June  took  possession  of  the  heights 
of  Bunker  Hill  and  Breed's  Hill.     The  history  of  the 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM.  81 

next  day's  battle  is  too  well  known  to  need  recital  here. 
While  Warren  was  bravely  fighting  behind  the  redoubt 
on  Breed's  Hill,  Putnam  was  also  leading  his  men  in 
the  action  with  his  customary  fearlessness.  "  On  the 
evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British,  Putnam  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  city,  where  he  remained 
until  the  twenty-ninth  of  March  of  the  next  year, 
when  he  was  ordered  to  take  command  of  New  York, 
and  to  complete  the  defences  of  the  city  commenced  by 
General  Lee."  On  August  twenty-third  Putnam  re- 
ceived the  chief  command,  and  on  September  twelfth 
New  York  was  evacuated  by  our  forces.  "  Soon  after 
this,  some  British  ships  ascended  the  Hudson  as  far  as 
Bloomingdale,  while  Sir  Henry  Clinton  landed  four 
thousand  troops  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  island  at 
Ivipp's  Bay."  If  these  two  forces  should  effect  a  junc- 
tion across  the  island,  Putnam  saw  that  his  division 
would  be  entrapped,  and  set  himself  to  work  to  escape 
the  enclosing  meshes  before  his  retreat  could  be  cut  off. 
As  the  enemy  were  obliged  to  pass  under  Murray  Hill, 
where  resided  a  patriotic  Quakeress,  Putnam  despatched 
his  aide  to  the  lady,  requesting  her  to  offer  refreshments 
to  the  army  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  and  to  detain  them 
as  long  as  possible.  It  proved  a  very  successful  piece 
of  strategy.  One  hour  of  precious  time  was  lost  to 
the  enemy  and  gained  by  the  forces  under  Putnam. 
When  the  British  general  resumed  his  march,  he  saw  to 
his  surprise  that  Putnam  had  escaped  him  and  was 
advancing  into  the  Bloomingdale  plains. 

In  December,  1776,  when  Washington  had  crossed 
the  Delaware  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  entering 
Philadelphia,  Putnam  was  placed  in  command  at  that 
post.     This  was  a  high  compliment  to  his  generalship, 


82         HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

as  Philadelphia  was  considered  a  point  of  vital  impor- 
tance to  hold.  In  1777  he  received  orders  to  go  to  New 
Jersey,  where  the  enemy  were  occupying  winter  quarters 
at  New  Brunswick  and  Amboy.  His  object  having 
been  accomplished  of  forcing  a  concentration  of  the 
enemy's  forces,  he  went  to  Princeton,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  the  winter.  At  this  time  he  had  but 
a  handful  of  troops  to  oppose  to  the  British  legions,  his 
whole  command  numbering  only  a  few  hundred  men. 
Great  strategy  and  skill  was  therefore  required  to 
conceal  his  scarcity  of  troops  from  the  enemy.  An 
incident  occurred  which  taxed  his  powers  in  this  direc- 
tion to  the  utmost.  A  Scotch  captain,  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Princeton,  was  lying  at  the  point  of  death  in 
his  camp,  and  asked  permission  to  "  send  for  a  friend 
in  the  British  army  at  Brunswick,  that  some  testamen- 
tary matters  of  great  importance  might  be  confided  to 
him.''  It  was  cruel  to  refuse,  it  was  dangerous  to  grant 
the  request.  In  this  dilemma  Putnam  finally  consented 
that  the  Scotchman  might  receive  his  friend  from  the 
British  army  if  he  would  come  at  night.  "An  officer 
was  despatched  to  Brunswick  to  conduct  him  to 
McPherson's  chamber.  It  was  after  dark  before  they 
reached  Princeton.  General  Putnam  had  the  College 
hall  and  all  vacant  houses  lighted  up,  and  while  the 
two  friends  were  closeted  had  his  men  marched  rapidly 
before  the  house  and  around  the  quarters  of  the  captain 
with  great  pomp  and  bustle,  repeating  the  manoeuvre 
several  times  to  give  an  impression  of  a  strong  force." 
The  ruse  succeeded,  and  the  Scotchman's  friend,  when 
he  went  back,  reported  a  large  force  at  Putnam's  camp. 
After  this  Putnam  was  ordered  to  the  Highlands, 
and  made  his  head-quarters  at  Peekskill  from  the 
month  of  May  until  October. 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM.  83 

During  the  winter  of  1778  Putnam  was  busily- 
engaged  rebuilding  the  demolished  forts  in  the  High- 
lands, and  made  the  selection  of  West  Point  for  the 
site  of  a  fortification,  which  was  begun  in  January  of 
that  year.  The  celebrated  escape  at  Horseneck  is  also 
chronicled  of  this  year.  Some  writers  record  this  event 
as  occurring  in  the  winter,  others  make  the  time  in  July. 
Rogers,  who  was  with  Putnam,  says  it  was  July,  and 
it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  his  authority  is  the 
best.  General  Putnam,  it  seems,  was  visiting  one  of 
his  outposts  at  West  Greenwich,  against  which  Gov- 
ernor Try  on  was  marching  with  a  force  of  fifteen  hun~ 
dred  men.  Putnam  with  his  small  force  made  a  stand 
near  a  church  which  stood  on  the  edge  of  a  precipitous 
hill,  and  sent  a  volley  from  his  artillery  into  the  ranks 
of  the  advancing  foe.  But  the  British  cavalry  was 
forming  for  a  charge,  and  Putnam,  knowing  the  hope- 
lessness of  resistance  by  his  little  company  of  fifty 
men,  ordered  a  retreat  to  a  swamp  behind  the  hill  inac- 
cessible to  cavalry,  while  he  urged  his  own  horse 
directly  down  the  steep  face  of  the  hill.  His  pursuers 
galloped  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  and  paused  in  amaze- 
ment, not  daring  to  follow  such  a  breakneck  plunge 
down  the  rocks.  A  volley  was  fired  after  Putnam, 
but  the  shot  passed  harmlessly  over  his  head.  The 
perilous  descent  was  safely  made,  and  after  obtaining 
reinforcements,  Putnam  returned  in  pursuit  of  Gov- 
ernor Tryon. 

The  fortifications  in  the  Highlands  occupied  General 
Putnani  until  the  winter  of  1779,  when  on  returning 
from  a  visit  to  his  family  he  was  attacked  with  paraly- 
sis, from  which  he  never  recovered,  though  his  death 
did  not  take  place  until  May  of  1790.    The  manner  of 


84        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

his  attack  is  related.  He  had  started  on  a  journey  to 
Morristown  in  the  month  of  December.  While  on 
the  road  between  Porafret  and  Hartford,  he  felt  the 
stealthy  approach  of  the  paralytic  stroke.  A  gradual 
numbness  crept  through  his  right  hand  and  foot  until 
he  was  deprived  in  a  great  measure  of  the  use  of  his 
limbs  on  that  side.  He  reached  the  house  of  his  friend, 
Colonel  Wads  worth,  with  difficulty.  He  did  not 
recover,  as  he  expected,  but  remained  in  this  half- 
paralytic  condition,  though  enabled  to  walk  and  ride 
moderately,  until  the  seventeenth  of  May,  1790,  when 
he  was  violently  attacked  with  an  inflammatory  disease, 
and  two  days  later  the  patriotic  life  went  out,  to  be 
rekindled  no  more  on  earth.  The  farewell  volleys  of 
the  infantry  were  discharged  over  the  hero's  grave, 
and  the  minute  guns  of  the  artillery  sounded  like 
signals  of  distress. 

The  Grenadiers  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  a  corps  of 
artillerists  and  various  military  companies  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, besides  the  Masonic  fraternity,  moved  in  the 
sad  funeral  cortege. 

Dr.  Waldo  pronounced  the  following  eulogium  over 
his  grave : 

"  Those  venerable  relics  once  delighted  in  the  endear- 
ing domestic  virtues  which  constitute  the  excellent 
neighbor,  husband,  parent  and  worthy  brother !  Lib- 
eral and  substantial  in  his  friendship,  unsuspicious, 
open  and  generous,  just  and  sincere  in  dealing,  a 
benevolent  citizen  of  the  world — he  concentrated  in  his 
bosom  the  noble  qualities  of  an  honest  man. 

"  Born  a  hero,  whom  nature  taught  and  cherished  in 
the  lap  of  innumerable  toils  and  dangers,  he  was  terri- 
ble in  battle !    But,  from  the  araiableness  of  his  heart, 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM.  S5 

wlien  carnage  ceased  his  humanity  spread  over  the  fiekl 
like  the  refreshing  zephyrs  of  a  summer's  evening. 
The  prisoner,  the  wounded,  the  sick,  the  forlorn  ex- 
])erienced  the  delicate  sympathy  of  this  soldier's  pillow. 
The  poor  and  the  needy  of  every  description  received 
the  charitable  bounties  of  this  Christian  soldier. 

"He  pitied  littleness,  loved  goodness,  admired  great- 
ness, and  ever  aspired  to  its  glorious  summit!  The 
friend,  the  servant,  and  almost  unparalleled  lover  of 
his  country,  worn  with  age  and  the  former  trials  of 
war,  Putnam  rests  from  his  labors, 

"Till  mouldering  worlds  and  tumbling  systems  burst 
When  the  last  trump  shall  renovate  his  dust; 
Still  by  the  mandate  of  eternal  truth 
His  soul  will  flourish  in  immortal  youth ! ' 

"  This,  all  who  knew  him  know, — this,  all  who  loved 
him  tell." 

Rev.  Dr.  Dwight,  President  of  Yale  College,  an 
intimate  friend  of  Putnam,  wrote  the  following  in- 
scription, which  was  engraven  on  his  tomb : 

"  Sacred  be  this  Monument 

to  the  memory 

of 

Israel  Putnam,  Esquire, 

Senior  Major-General  in  the  Armies 

of 

The  United  States  of  America, 

who 

was  born  at  Salem, 

in  the  Province  of  Massachusetts, 

on  the  seventh  day  of  January, 

A.  D.  1718, 

and  died 

on  the  nineteenth  day  of  May, 

A.  D.  1790. 


HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Pappenjer, 

if  thou  art  a  Soldier, 

drop  a  tear  over  the  dust  of  a  Hero, 

who, 

ever  attentive 

to  the  lives  and  happiness  of  his  men, 

dared  to  lead 

where  any  dared  to  follow : 

if  a  Patriot, 

remember  the  distinguished  and  gallant  services 

rendered  thy  country 

by  the  Patriot  who  sleeps  beneath  this  marble ; 

if  thou  art  honest,  generous  and  worthy, 

tender  a  cheerful  tribute  of  respect 

to  a  man 

whose  generosity  was  singular, 

whose  honesty  was  proverbial, 

who 

raised  himself  to  universal  esteem 

and  offices  of  eminent  distinction 

by  personal  worth 

and  a 

useful  life.*' 


CHAPTER   VI. 
ETHAN   ALLEN. 

Birthplace  of  Allen. — The  New  Hampshire  Grants. — The  Green 
Mountain  Boys. — Ethan  Allen  a  Leader. — Price  on  his  Head. — 
Allen's  Fearlessness. — The  Revolution. — Capture  of  Ticonderoga. 
— Benedict  Arnold's  Part  in  the  Afiair. — Allen  in  Canada. — The 
Army  of  Invasion. — Plans  for  the  Capture  of  Montreal. — The 
Fatal  Snare. — Allen  a  Prisoner. — Brutal  Treatment  by  British 
Officers. — In  Falmouth,  England. — The  Gentlemen  of  Cork. — 
Exchanged. — Liberty  and  the  Green  Mountains  Once  More. — 
Joyful  Welcome. — Allen  Again  Fighting  the  Battles  of  Young 
Vermont. — Review  of  his  Character. 

IT  has  been  said  that  no  one  man  contributed  more, 
by  his  personal  efforts,  to  the  independence  of 
our  country  than  did  that  bold  knight  of  Liberty, 
Ethan  Allen. 

He  first  comes  to  our  notice  as  the  leader  of  the 
renowned  Green  Mountain  Boys,  in  the  troublous  times 
when  the  land-owners  of  Vermont,  under  the  New 
Hampshire  Grants,  defended  their  homesteads  and 
property  against  the  false  claims  of  the  British  Gov- 
ernor Tryon  of  the  New  York  Colony. 

Ethan  Allen  was  born  in  Litchfield,  Connecticut, 
January  tenth,  1737.  His  father,  Joseph  Allen,  was  a 
native  of  Coventry,  of  the  same  State,  from  whence  he 
emigrated  to  Litchfield,  and  afterwards  to  Cornwall, 
where  he  raised  a  large  family  of  children.  Four  or 
five  of  the  boys  settled  in  the  land  west  of  the  Green 
Mountains,  and  did  much  towards  shaping  the  destiny 

(87) 


88         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

of  the  infant  State,  Vermont.  The  passion  for  liberty 
seems  to  have  been  inborn  with  the  whole  family,  and 
though  none  of  them  became  so  distinguished  as 
Ethan,  they  were  all  staunch  pioneers  in  freedom^s 
cause,  and  battled  nobly  against  injustice  and  op- 
pression. 

About  the  year  1772  the  hero  of  Ticonderoga  re- 
moved to  Bennington,  Vermont,  and  it  is  from  this 
date  that  we  begin  to  hear  of  him  as  a  conspicuous 
leader  among  the  bold  mountaineers  of  the  Green 
Mountains. 

A  difficulty  arose  between  the  States  of  New  York, 
Connecticut,  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  owing 
to  conflicting  boundary  lines  as  granted  by  the  charters 
of  the  several  States,  or  colonies.  The  original  grant 
of  King  Charles  the  Second  to  the  Duke  of  York,  his 
brotlier,  made  the  Connecticut  Kiver  the  eastern  boun- 
dary line  of  the  Colony  of  New  York,  wliich  interfered 
directly  with  the  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  char- 
ters. A  compromise  of  claims,  however,  was  settled 
upon  between  the  three  States  of  Massachusetts,  Con- 
necticut and  New  York,  and  all  remained  in  a  condi- 
tion of  comparative  quiet  until  Benning  Wentworth 
became  Governor  of  New  Hampshire,  with  authority 
from  the  king  to  ''  issue  patents  for  unimproved  lands 
within  the  limits  of  his  province."  Application  being 
made  for  grants  west  of  the  Connecticut  River,  and 
even  beyond  the  Green  Mountains,  Governor  Went- 
worth gave  a  patent  for  a  township  six  miles  square, 
near  the  northwest  boundary  of  Massachusetts,  which 
was  named  Bennington.  A  remonstrance  went  up 
from  New  York  against  this  measure,  that  colony 
claiming  for  itself  the  territory  north  of  Massachusetts 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  89 

and  east  of  the  Connecticut  River.  But  Governor 
Wentworth,  by  all  accounts,  ignored  the  claims  of  New 
York,  and  went  steadily  forward  in  the  work  of  grant- 
ing patents,  until  in  four  years'  time  he  had  issued 
patents  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  townships. 
This  territory  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  "New 
Hampshire  Grants,"  and  did  not  take  its  present  name, 
Vermont,  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution. 
The  government  of  New  York  appealed  to  the  arbitra- 
tion of  the  Crown,  and  a  royal  decree  was  issued,  stat- 
ing that  the  Connecticut  River  was  the  dividing  line 
between  New  York  and  New  Hampshire.  This  decree, 
according  to  New  York  jurisprudence,  forced  the  set- 
tlers under  the  New  Hampshire  Grants  to  purchase 
their  lands  over  again  or  submit  to  writs  of  ejectment 
in  favor  of  newer  claimants  who  had  obtained  grants 
of  the  New  York  government.  Ethan  Allen,  who 
was  already  a  leader  among  the  sturdy  yeomanry  of  the 
Green  Mountains,  became  noted  for  his  zeal  in  oppos- 
ing this  injustice,  and  was  chosen  to  represent  their 
claims  at  the  Albany  courts.  The  trial  was  little  more 
than  a  farce,  and  the  case,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
was  decided  against  Allen's  constituency. 

He  went  home  and  reported  the  condition  of  affairs 
to  the  excited  and  indignant  mountain  pioneers,  and  a 
meeting  was  immediately  held  by  the  people  of  Ben- 
nington, at  which  a  formal  determination  was  expressed 
to  defend  their  property  by  force.  They  agreed  to 
unite  in  resisting  all  encroachments  on  lands  purchased 
from  the  government  of  New  Hampshire.  Open  war 
was  now  inaugurated  between  the  Green  Mountain  Boys 
and  the  officers  who  came  to  enforce  the  king's  de- 
cision.    Forces  of  armed  men  successfully  drove  away 


90         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

sheriffs  and  their  posse  coming  to  serve  writs  of  eject- 
ment on  the  settlers,  and  in  some  instances  the  intruders 
were  caught  and  administered  a  whipping  with  the 
^' twigs  of  the  wiklerness." 

Ethan  Allen  was  the  head  and  front  of  this  resistance 
in  the  name  of  justice:  the  chief  leader  and  adviser  of 
the  Green  Mountain  faction.  The  force  thus  taking 
the  law  into  their  own  hands  was  regularly  organized, 
and  Ethan  Allen  was  appointed  colonel  commanding, 
with  several  captains  under  him,  chief  among  whom 
were  Seth  Warner  and  Remember  Baker.  '^Com- 
mittees of  safety  were  likewise  chosen,  and  intrusted 
with  powers  for  regulating  social  affairs.  Conventions 
of  delegates  representing  the  people  assembled  from 
time  to  time,  and  passed  resolves  and  adopted  measures 
which  tended  to  harmonize  their  sentiments  and  con- 
centrate their  efforts.''  In  this  manner  affairs  went  on 
until  Governor  Tryon  issued  a  proclamation  offering  a 
reward  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  for  the  cap- 
ture of  Allen,  and  fifty  pounds  each  for  the  capture 
of  Seth  Warner  and  five  others.  Not  recognizing 
the  authority  of  New  York  in  this  matter,  Allen  and 
his  friends  sent  out  a  counter-proclamation,  offering 
a  reward  of  five  pounds  to  any  person  who  would 
take  and  deliver  the  Attorney-General  of  the  Colony 
of  New  York  to  any  officer  in  the  military  association 
of  the  Green  Mountain  Boys.  That  gentleman  had 
been  particularly  active  in  the  warfare  against  them, 
and  was  in  consequence  an  object  of  special  dislike. 

Allen,  seeing  only  his  duty  in  thus  setting  at  defiance 
the  authority  of  New  York',  went  forward  perfectly 
regardless  of  threats  and  faithful  in  the  execution  of 
the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  brother  pioneers.     The 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  91 

settlers  acted  strictly  on  the  defensive,  but,  nevertheless, 
commotions,  mobs  and  riots  were  the  order  of  the  dav. 
Manifestoes  were  published  defending  the  outlaws  and 
condemning  the  New  York  proclamation.  Thus  the 
course  of  events  went  on  from  bad  to  worse,  the  hos- 
tilities growing  more  determined,  the  enmity  deeper. 

How  long  this  state  of  things  would  have  continued, 
or  to  what  pitch  it  would  have  been  carried,  no  one 
can  tell,  had  not  a  common  cause  united  the  people  in 
resistance  to  a  common  enemy.  The  smaller  feud  was 
eclipsed  by  the  greater.  Ominous  clouds  of  tyranny 
on  one  hand  and  opposition  to  it  on  the  other  were 
slowly  gathering  in  the  political  horizon  of  the  young 
colonies,  and  the  battle  of  Lexington  announced  the 
first  thunder-burst  of  the  Revolution.  Vermont,  now 
recognized  as  an  independent  State,  boldly  stepped  to 
the  front  in  the  contest  for  liberty,  and  Ethan  Allen 
was  her  standard-bearer. 

Eight  days  after  the  battle  of  Lexington  a  plan  was 
on  foot  for  the  capture  of  Fort  Ticonderoga,  on  Lake 
George,  and  the  seizure  of  its  cannon  for  the  Provin- 
cial army  at  Boston.  This  fort,  together  with  Crown 
Point,  constituted  the  key  of  all  communication  be- 
tween New  York  and  Canada,  and  was  consequently 
a  point  of  great  strategic  importance. 

The  scheme  for  its  capture  was  a  private  one, 
although  it  originated  with  several  members  of  the 
Assembly  then  in  session  at  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

A  committee,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Edward 
Mott  and  Noah  Plielps,  went  through  the  frontier 
towns  raising  men  for  the  project,  and  a  thousand  dol- 
lars v;as  loaned  fronnihe  treasury  of  the  State  to  carry 
the  plan  into  execution. 


92         HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Sixteen  men  were  collected  in  Connecticut,  and  in 
Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  Colonel  Easton  added  some 
of  his  militia  to  the  force,  enlisting  volunteers  as  he 
went  forward.  About  fifty  of  these  reached  Benning- 
ton, where  a  council  of  war  was  immediately  held,  and 
parties  were  sent  to  secure*  the  roads  to  the  northward, 
thus  preventing  intelligence  of  their  approach  from 
reaching  the  enemy. 

Colonel  Allen  and  his  Green  Mountain  Boys  joineMl 
the  force  here,  and  the  whole  party  reached  Castlcton 
on  the  evening  of  the  seventh  of  May.  ^^  Here  a  second 
council  of  war  was  held,  at  which  Allen  was  appointeil 
commander  of  the  expedition,  James  Easton  the  second 
in  command,  and  Seth  W^arner  the  third."  The  fierce 
now  consisted  of  over  two  hundred  men,  and  they 
marched  directly  to  a  place  called  Shoreham,  on  the 
bank  of  the  lake  opposite  Ticonderoga.  It  now  became 
necessary  to  have  a  guide  who  was  familiar  with  the 
fort  and  its  places  of  access.  Accordingly,  Nathan 
Beman,  a  young  boy,  whose  father  lived  near  the  shore 
of  the  lake,  was  induced  to  lend  his  services  to  the 
occasion. 

The  number  of  boats  being  exceedingly  deficient, 
only  eighty-three  men  had  crossed  when  the  day  began 
to  dawn. 

The  moment  was  critical.  The  fort,  if  taken  at  all, 
must  be  surprised  before  daybreak.  There  was  no 
time  to  be  lost.  In  this  dilemma  Colonel  Allen  re- 
solved to  march  on  the  fort  at  once,  without  waiting 
for  the  rear-guard  to  cross  the  lake.  Accordingly, 
Colonel  Allen  drew  up  his  mountaineers  in  three 
ranks  and  first  made  a  little  spe«'h  to  them,  reminding 
them  that  they  had  come  to  fight  in  the  cause  of  lib- 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  9.T 

erty,  and  offering  any  who  chose  to  avail  themselves 
of  it  an  opportunity  to  retire.  No  one  retired.  The 
order  to  advance  was  then  given,  and  the  force  marched 
in  silence  up  the  heights  to  the  fort.  They  passed  the 
sentinels,  one  of  whom  retreated  to  his  bomb-proof 
after  discharging  his  piece,  and  another  contented  him- 
self wnth  wounding  an  officer  in  the  head.  The  men, 
after  forming  inside  the  fort,  gave  vent  to  loud  huzzas, 
which  startled  the  sleeping  inmates  of  the  barracks. 
Colonel  Allen  then  demanded  to  be  shown  the  apart- 
ment of  Captain  Delaplace,  the  officer  commanding, 
and,  mounting  the  steps  leading  to  the  officer's  room, 
ordered  him,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  to  come  forth 
instantly  or  the  whole  garrison  would  be  sacrificed. 

Captain  Delaplace,  startled  from  sleep  by  the  unex- 
])ected  summons,  sprang  to  the  door  with  his  pants  in 
liis  hand,  and  his  pretty  wife  peering  over  his  shoul- 
der behind  him. 

There  stood  Ethan  Allen,  like  another  Ajax,  stern 
and  thunderous,  and  demanded  the  immediate  surren- 
der of  the  fort. 

"By  what  authority,"  asked  Captain  Delaplace, 
"do  you  presume  to  make  such  a  demand?" 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Great  Jehovah  and  the  Con- 
tinental Congress!"  thundered  Allen,  in  return. 

The  authority  of  the  Continental  Congress  not  being 
exactly  clear  to  Delaplace,  he  began  speaking  in  reply. 
But  his  speech  was  cut  short  by  the  uplifted  sword  of 
Allen,  as  the  demand  for  immediate  surrender  was 
sternly  reiterated.  Thinking  further  parley  of  no 
avail,  Delaplace  surrendered  the  garrison,  ordering  his 
men  to  parade  without  arms,  and  Allen  with  his  brave 
boys  took  possession  of  the  captured  fort.     When  the 


94        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

clay  dawned  on  that  immortal  tenth  of  May,  it  seemed 
to  flood  the  earth  with  unusual  splendor — so  wrote 
Ethan  Allen  in  his  autobiography  concerning  this 
eventful  time.  Perhaps  the  beauty  of  the  morn- 
ing took  a  shade  of  brightness  from  the  rosy  flush  of 
the  victory  he  had  just  achieved.  One  hundred  and 
twenty  pieces  of  cannon,  besides  swivels,  mortars,  small 
arms  and  stores,  were  captured  with  the  fort. 

In  a  few  days  after  the  seizure  of  Ticonderoga,  Col- 
onel Allen  sent  Captain  Seth  Warner  to  Crown  Point 
with  a  detachment  of  men,  and  the  surrender  of  the 
garrison  at  that  post  followed.  Captain  Remember 
Baker  on  his  way  to  Ticonderoga  reached  Crown  Point 
just  in  time  to  join  Warner  in  taking  possession. 

Benedict  Arnold  had  arrived  from  Massachusetts 
just  before  the  expedition  for  Ticonderoga  set  out, 
commissioned  by  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  that  col- 
ony to  raise  men  for  the  same  purpose.  Finding  an 
organization  already  under  way,  having  in  view  the 
same  object,  he  endeavored  to  assume  command,  and 
lead  them  to  the  fortress  himself.  But  the  Green 
Mountain  Boys  would  not  permit  their  beloved  com- 
mander to  be  supplanted  by  a  stranger,  and  to  prevent 
disturbance  Arnold  submitted  to  the  dictation  of  the 
majority,  and  went  as  a  volunteer.  His  conduct  on 
the  occasion  was  brave.  He  had  marched  by  the  side 
of  Allen,  and  entered  the  fort  with  him.  After  the 
surrender  he  again  attempted  to  assume  command,  but 
his  orders  were  not  obeyed,  and  he  was  once  more 
obliged  to  look  to  Allen  as  his  ranking  officer. 

A  scheme  was  entered  into  at  this  time  between 
Allen  and  Arnold  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the  garri- 
son at  St.  Johns,  and  taking  possession  of  a  royal  sloop 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  95 


which  lay  there.  The  beginning  of  the  enterprise  was 
successful,  but  reinforcements  arriving  for  the  enemy 
from  Montreal,  Allen  was  attacked,  and  driven  to  his 
boats.  After  this  adventure  he  remained  at  Ticonder- 
oga  as  commander-in-chief,  while  Arnold  held  Crown 
Point.  Meantime,  Colonel  Allen  was  busy  planning 
new  successes,  and  on  June  second,  1775,  he  addressed 
Congress  a  long  letter  asking  permission  to  make  an 
advance  into  Canada  with  a  force  of  two  or  three  thou- 
sand men,  confidently  asserting  his  power  to  conquer 
this  province  of  Britain.  He  said  that  with  fifteen 
hundred  men  he  could  take  Montreal.  This  project 
met  with  little  favor  from  Congress  at  the  time,  that 
body  having  resolved  only  the  day  before  the  date  of 
Allen's  letter  that  no  invasion  of  Canada  ought  to  be 
countenanced. 

Three  months  later  an  expedition  into  Canada,  sec- 
onded by  the  voice  of  the  whole  nation,  met  with  dis- 
astrous results.  Had  Congress  listened  to  Allen  when 
he  first  proposed  his  plan,  there  is  little  doubt  that  the 
invasion  would  liave  been  successful. 

Allen  was  now  relieved  of  his  command  at  Ticon- 
deroga,  Colonel  Hinman  with  his  Connecticut  troops 
having  arrived  from  that  State.  The  majority  of 
Allen's  men  returned  to  their  homes,  their  term  of 
service  having  expired.  Afterwards,  Colonel  Allen 
and  Seth  Warner  went  to  the  Continental  Congress  to 
procure  pay  for  the  soldiers  who  had  served  under  them, 
and  also  to  obtain  permission  to  raise  a  new  regiment 
in  the  New  Hampshire  Grants.  They  succeeded  in 
both  objects.  When  the  new  regiment  was  raised, 
Seth  Warner  was  chosen  its  lieutenant-colonel,  and 
Samuel  Saiford,  major.     It  is  not  clear  why  Colonel 


96        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

Allen  was  not  connected  with  this  or<ranization  in  an 
official  capacity,  but  in  a  few  days  afterwards  he  joined 
General  Schuyler  as  a  volunteer,  and  that  officer  sent 
him  on  a  mission  to  Canada  to  ascertain  the  temper  of 
the  people  there  on  the  question  of  uniting  with  Ameri- 
cans in  shaking  off  the  shackles  of  British  rule,  and 
achieving  for  themselves  the  enjoyments  of  freedom. 
He  was  the  bearer  of  an  address  to  the  people  of 
Canada  from  General  Schuyler,  then  at  Isle-aux-Noix, 
M'hich  was  intended  to  convince  them  that  the  invasion 
was  not  against  the  rights  of  the  citizens  of  Canada, 
but  against  British  tyranny  exclusively.  Allen  went 
first  to  Chamblee  on  his  dangerous  mission,  and  found 
many  citizens  friendly  to  the  American  cause.  He 
"was  attended  by  an  armed  escort,  furnished  by  the 
citizens,  which  accompanied  him  constantly  in  his 
journeys  through  the  woods.  For  eight  days  he  was 
traversing  the  country  on  this  mission,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  returned  to  General  Schuyler's  army  at 
Isle-aux-Noix. 

General  Montgomery  was  in  command  of  the  Canada 
expedition,  and  was  at  this  time  besieging  the  garrison 
at  St.  Johns.  Colonel  Allen  was  immediately  sent 
back  to  raise  as  large  a  force  as  he  could  to  unite  with 
the  American  army  at  that  place.  In  a  week  there- 
after he  wrote  to  General  ^lontgomery  from  the  parish 
of  St.  Ours,  saying  that  he  had  two  hundred  and  fifty 
Canadians  under  arms,  and  that  in  three  days  he 
intended  to  be  at  St.  Johns  with  five  hundred  Canadian 
volunteers.  But  unfortunately  Colonel  Allen  was  led 
to  change  his  plans,  and  a  long  array  of  evils  followed 
in  natural  sequence. 

AVhen  nearly  opposite  Montreal,  on  his  way  to  St. 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  97 

Johns,  he  fell  in  with  Major  Brown,  who  was  at  the 
liead  of  an  advance  party  of  Americans  and  Canadians. 
This  officer  represented  the  defenceless  condition  of 
Montreal,  and  proposed  a  joint  attack  to  take  the  city 
by  surprise.  A  plan  was  entered  into  at  once,  by 
which  a  simultaneous  assault  was  to  be  made  by  the 
two  parties  at  opposite  points.  On  the  evening  of  the 
twenty-fourth  of  September,  Allen  crossed  the  river 
with  eighty  Canadians  and  thirty  Americans,  and 
landed  them  undiscovered  before  dawn,  where  he 
waited  the  signal  of  Major  Brown.  Daylight  came 
but  Major  Brown  did  not,  and  it  was  now  too  late  to 
retreat.  Soon,  about  forty  British  regulars  and  two  or 
three  hundred  Canadians  advanced  to  attack  the  hand- 
ful of  men  under  Colonel  Allen,  and  after  a  skirmish 
of  an  hour  and  three-quarters  Allen  agreed  to  surrender 
upon  promise  of  honorable  terms.  He  was  conducted 
to  the  presence  of  Colonel  Prescott  in  Montreal.  Was 
this  the  same  Allen  who  had  taken  Fort  Ticonderoga  ? 
that  officer  inquired.     It  was. 

Then  the  valiant  Colonel  Prescott  burst  into  a  tow- 
ering passion,  threatened  Allen  with  a  halter  at  Tyburn, 
and  ordered  him  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot  on  board 
the  *'  Gaspee,''  schooner  of  war.  Allen  wrote  a  letter  to 
Prescott,  protesting  against  this  inhuman  treatment. 
His  only  reply  was  a  continuation  of  the  brutality 
meted  out  to  the  worst  criminals  instead  of  to  honorable 
prisoners  of  war.  Allen's  companions-in-arms  suffered 
a  like  fate  with  their  brave  leader.  During  several 
consecutive  months  Allen  was  transferred  from  one 
vessel  to  another,  where  the  degree  of  kindness  or 
cruelty  with  which  he  was  treated  depended  on  the 
disposition  of  the  captain  of  the  craft.     At  last  he  was 


98        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

taken  to  England,  where  he  was  regarded  as  quite  an 
object  of  interest.  The  fame  of  his  Ticonderoga 
exploit  had  preceded  him  there,  and  many  came  to  see 
the  distinguished  prisoner.  He  was  confined  at  Fal-" 
month.  His  dress  at  this  time  consisted  of  a  short 
fawn-skin  double-breasted  jacket,  a  vest  and  breeches 
of  sagathy,  worsted  stockings,  a  plain  shirt  and  a  red 
worsted  cap,  materials  which  had  been  gathered  during 
his  Canada  invasion. 

Thou'^-h  in  bonda2:e  he  did  not  cease  to  advocate  the 
claims  of  his  country,  or  to  grow  eloquent  on  the  theme 
of  liberty. 

At  last  his  exchange  was  ordered,  and  in  company 
with  his  fellow-prisoners,  he  was  conducted  on  board 
the  *'  Solebay,''  a  ship  in  the  harbor  of  Cork.  When  it 
was  known  in  Cork  that  Colonel  Allen  and  the 
American  prisoners  were  on  board  the  "  Solebay,"  sev- 
eral gentlemen  of  the  city  sent  to  them  generous  gifts  in 
the  shape  of  clothes,  choice  food  and  money,  to  the 
indignant  disgust  of  the  captain  commanding  the 
vessel. 

After  many  wanderings  and  much  adventure.  Colonel 
Allen  arrived  off  Staten  Island,  and  was  conducted  to 
a  sloop  in  the  harbor,  where  he  awaited  the  arrival  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Campbell,  for  whom  he  was  X<^  be 
exchanged.  The  two  prisoners  met  on  the  fifth  of 
May,  1778,  and  drank  a  glass  of  wine  together  in 
celebration  of  their  mutual  happiness.  Colonel  Allen 
had  been  a  prisoner  of  war  for  two  years  and  seven 
months.  After  his  release  he  at  once  reported  to 
Washington  at  Valley  Forge  before  turning  his  face 
towards  home  in  the  Green  Mountains.  His  welcome 
home  was  an  ovation.     Cannon  were  fired  in  honor  of 


ETHAN  ALLEN  99 

the  event,  and  demonstrations  of  joy  were  universal. 
After  his  return  Congress  conferred  on  him  the 
commission  of  brevet-colonel  in  the  Continental  army, 
and  it  was  voted  that  he  should  receive  the  pay  of  a 
lieutenant-colonel  during  the  time  of  his  imprisonment. 

The  controversy  for  the  independence  of  Vermont 
was  renewed  on  Allen's  return,  and  he  entered  into  it 
with  all  his  wonted  spirit.  Young  A^ermont,  in  grati- 
ttide  for  past  services,  appointed  him  general  and 
commander  of  the  State  militia.  No  stronger  proof 
of  their  confidence  in  him  could  have  been  given  at 
this  time  by  the  hardy  yeomanry  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tains. During  the  progress  of  the  disputes  there  was 
an  attempt  made  to  gain  Allen's  influence  in  a  project 
to  unite  Vermont  with  the  British  provinces  in  Canada. 
As  might  be  supposed,  this  attempt  was  a  total  failure. 
At  last  the  difficulties  were  settled,  and  Vermont, 
chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  Allen,  was  accorded  the 
place  of  independence  she  claimed.  At  the  next 
election  after  his  return  from  captivity.  General  Allen 
was  chosen  a  representative  to  the  Assembly  of  his 
State,  and  after  the  restoration  of  peace  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  pursuit  of  agriculture.  At  this  time 
his  thoughts  seemed  to  set  in  a  new  channel,  and  he 
wrote  a  book  entitled  "Reason  the  only  Oracle  of 
Man,  or  a  Compendious  System  of  Natural  Religion." 
It  was  published  at  Bennington  in  the  year  1784. 

A  good  many  stories  are  told  of  Allen  which  are 
characteristic  of  the  man,  and  throw  out  in  bold  relief 
the  strong  points  of  his  nature.  Perhaps  these  inci- 
dents are  more  indicative  of  character  than  anything 
else.  At  one  time  during  Allen's  imprisonment  he 
was  released  on  parole  in  New  York.     An  incident  is 


100  .      HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

told  of  this  time  by  one  of  the  actors  in  the  affair : 
"  E-ivington,  the  King's  printer,  a  forcible  and  veno- 
mous writer,  had  incurred  Allen's  enmity  by  his  caustic 
allusions  to  him,  and  the  hero  of  Ticonderoga  swore  he 
'  would  lick  Rivington  the  very  first  opportunity  he 
had.' " 

This  is  how  he  escaped  the  threatened  castigation: 
"  I  was  sitting,"  says  Rivington,  "  after  a  good  dinner, 
alone,  with  my  bottle  of  Madeira  before  me,  when  I 
heard  an  unusual  noise  in  the  street  and  a  huzza  from 
the  boys.  I  was  in  the  second  story,  and  stepping  to 
the  window,  saw  a  tall  figure  in  tarnished  regimentals, 
with  a  large  cocked  hat  and  an  enormous  long  sword, 
followed  by  a  crowd  of  boys  who  occasionally  cheered 
him  with  huzzas  of  which  he  seemed  insensible.  He 
came  up  to  my  door  and  stopped.  I  could  see  no 
more.  My  heart  told  me  it  was  Ethan  Allen.  I  shut 
my  window  and  retired  behind  my  table  and  my  bottle. 
I  was  certain  the  hour  of  reckoning  had  come.  There 
Mas  no  retreat.  Mr.  Staples,  my  clerk,  came  in  paler 
than  ever,  and  clasping  his  hands  said : 

"  ^  Master,  he  has  come.' 

'' '  I  know  it.' 

"  *  He  entered  the  store  and  asked  if  James  Riv^- 
ington  lived  there.  I  answered,  Yes,  sir.  Is  he  at 
home?  I  will  go  and  see,  sir,  I  said  ;  and  now,  master, 
what  is  to  be  done  ?  There  he  is  in  the  store,  and  the 
boys  peeping  at  him  from  the  street.' 

"I  had  made  up  my  mind.  I  looked  at  the 
Madeira — possibly  took  a  glass. 

"  ^  Show  him  up,'  said  I,  ^  and  if  such  Madeira  cannot 
mollify  him,  he  must  be  harder  than  adamant.' 

"  There  was  a  fearful  moment  of  suspense.     I  heard 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  101 

him  on  the  stairs,  his  long  sword  clanking  at  every 
step.     In  he  stalked. 

*' '  Is  your  name  James  Rivington  ? ' 

"'It  is,  sir;  and  no  man  could  be  more  happy  than 
I  am  to  see  Colonel  Ethan  Allen.' 

"  '  Sir,  I  have  come — ' 

"*Not  another  word,  my  dear  Colonel,  until  you 
have  taken  a  seat  and  a  glass  of  old  Madeira.' 

"  '  But,  sir,  I  don't  think  it  proper — ' 

"'Not  another  word.  Colonel.  Taste  this  wine  I 
have  had  in  glass  for  ten  years.  Old  wine,  you  know, 
unless  it  is  originally  sound,  never  improves  by  age.' 

"  He  took  the  glass,  swallowed  the  wine,  smacked 
his  lips  and  shook  his  head  approvingly. 

"  '  Sir,  I  am  come — ' 

" '  Not  another  word  until  you  have  taken  another 
glass,  and  then,  my  dear  Colonel,  we  will  talk  of  old 
affairs,  and  I  have  some  queer  events  to  detail.' 

"  In  short,  we  finished  two  bottles  of  Madeira  and 
parted  as  good  friends  as  if  we  had  never  had  cause  to 
be  otherwise." 

Allen's  kindness  of  heart  was  proverbial.  It  takes 
a  brave  man  to  be  kind.  "At  one  time  two  little  girls, 
daughters  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Vermont,  wandered 
into  the  woods  and  were  lost.  The  distressed  parents 
with  a  few  neighbors  commenced  a  search,  which  was 
continued  through  the  night  without  success.  The 
next  day  a  large  number  of  persons  from  the  neigh- 
boring towns  joined  them,  and  the  search  was  continued 
until  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  when  it  was  relin- 
quished, and  the  people  who  had  been  out  were  about 
to  return  to  their  homes.  Among  them,  however,  was 
one  who  thought  the  search  should  not  be  abandoned. 


102  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

^^  That  one  was  Ethan  Allen. 

"  lie  mounted  a  stump,  and  soon  all  eyes  were  fixed 
upon  him.  In  his  laconic  manner  he  pointed  to  the 
father  and  mother  of  tlie  lost  children,  now  petrified 
with  grief  and  despair,  bade  each  individual  present 
make  the  case  of  these  parents  their  own,  and  then  say 
whether  they  could  go  contentedly  to  their  homes 
without  one  effort  further  to  save  those  dear  little  ones 
who  were  probably  now  alive  but  perishing  with 
hunger,  and  spending  their  last  strength  in  crying  to 
father  and  mother  to  give  them  something  to  eat.  As 
he  spoke  his  giant  frame  was  agitated,  the  tears  rolled 
<lown  his  cheeks,  and  in  the  assembly  of  several  hun- 
dred men  but  few  eyes  were  dry. 

'' '  I'll  go  !  I'll  go  !  '  was  at  length  heard  from 
every  part  of  the  crowd.  They  betook  themselves 
to  the  woods,  and  before  night  the  lost  children  were 
restored  to  the  arms  of  their  parents." 

Here  is  an  incident  illustrative  of  his  incorruptible 
h Oldest y  : 

"On  one  occasion,  an  individual  to  whom  he  was 
indebted  commenced  a  suit  against  him.  Allen,  being 
unable  to  pay  the  debt,  employed  a  lawyer  to  have  the 
execution  of  legal  process  against  him  postponed  for  a 
short  period.  As  an  easy  measure  to  effect  this  antl 
throw  the  case  over  to  the  next  session  of  the  court, 
the  lawyer  denied  the  genuineness  of  the  signature. 
Allen,  who  was  present,  stepped  angrily  forward,  and 
exclaimed  to  his  astonished  counsel:  ^Sir,  I  did  not 
employ  you  to  come  here  and  lie!  I  wish  you  to  tell 
the  truth.  The  note  is  a  good  one — the  signature  is 
mine;  all  I  want  is  for  the  court  to  grant  me  sufficient 
time  to  make  the  payment.'  It  is  needless  to  add  that 
the  plaintiff  acceded  to  his  wishes." 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  103 

Allen  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  died  in 
Connecticut.  His  second  courtship  was  somewhat  out 
of  the  usual  line  of  business  in  the  traffic  matrimonial. 
It  was  during  a  session  of  the  court  at  Westminster, 
that  "Allen  appeared  with  a  magnificent  pair  of 
horses  and  a  black  driver.  Chief  Justice  Robinson 
and  Steven  R.  Bradley,  an  eminent  lawyer,  were  there, 
and  as  their  breakfast  was  on  the  table,  they  asked 
Allen  to  join  them.  He  replied  that  he  had  break- 
fi^isted,  and  while  they  were  at  table  he  would  go  in  and 
see  Mrs.  Buchanan,  a  handsome  widow  who  was  at  the 
house.  He  entered  the  sitting-room  and  at  once  said 
to  Mrs.  Buchanan  : 

" '  Well,  Fanny,  if  we  are  to  be  married  let  us  be 
about  it.' 

"^Yery  well/  she  promptly  replied,  'give  me  time 
to  fix  up.' 

"In  a  few  minutes  she  was  ready,  and  Judge  Robin- 
son was  at  once  called  upon  by  them  to  perform  the 
ceremony. 

"Said  Allen,  Mudge,  Mrs.  Buchanan  and  I  have 
concluded  to  be  married ;  I  don't  care  much  about  the 
ceremony,  and  as  near  as  I  can  find  out,  Fanny  cares 
as  little  for  it  as  I  do;  but  as  a  decent  respect  for  the 
customs  of  society  requires  it  of  us,  wc  are  willing  to 
have  the  ceremony  performed.' 

"  The  gentlemen  present  were  much  surprised,  and 
Judge  Robinson  replied, 

"'General  Allen,  this  is  an  important  matter  :  have 
you  thought  seriously  of  it?' 

"'Yes,  yes,' exclaimed  Allen,  looking  at  Mrs.  Bu- 
chanan, "  but  it  don't  require  much  thought.' 

"  Judge  Robinson  then  rose  from  his  seat  and  said  : 


104  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

"  '  Join  your  hands  together.  Ethan  Allen,  you  take 
this  woman  to  be  your  lawful  and  wedded  wife ;  you 
promise  to  love  and  protect  her  according  to  the  law 
of  God—' 

"^Stop,  stop,  Judge — the  law  of  God,'  said  Allen, 
looking  forth  upon  the  fields,  '  all  nature  is  full  of  it. 
Yes,  go  on.     My  team  is  at  the  door.' 

"  As  soon  as  the  ceremony  was  ended  General  Allen 
and  his  bride  entered  the  carriage  and  drove  off." 

A  son  of  one  of  the  governors  of  Vermont  vouches 
for  the  truth  of  the  following : 

"  While  Allen  was  on  his  way  to  lay  his  schemes 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada  before  the  Continental 
Congress,  he  attended  church  at  Bennington,  where  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Dewey  preached  a  sermon  on  the  capture  of 
Fort  Ticonderoga.  In  his  prayer  Mr.  Dewey  thanked 
the  Lord  for  having  given  the  possession  of  this  im- 
portant fortress  into  the  hands  of  a  people  struggling 
for  the  defence  of  their  dearest  rights.  Allen  was 
displeased,  and  as  the  ])reacher  continued  in  this  strain 
of  thanksgiving,  the  bluff  old  hero  cried  out: 

"  '  Parson  Dewey  ! ' 

"The  preacher  prayed  on,  not  heeding  the  inter- 
ruption. 

"Allen  exclaimed,  still  louder: 

"  '  Parson  Dewey  ! ' 

"  No  response.  At  last  Allen  was  exasperated,  and 
sprang  to  his  feet  while  he  fairly  roared  out,  for  the 
third  time: 

"  '  Parson  Dewey  ! ' 

"  At  last  the  praying  clergyman  opened  his  eyes  and 
gazed  in  astonishment  at  Allen.  Allen  then  said,  with 
energy : 


ETHAN  ALLEN.  IO5 

" '  Parson  Dewey  !  please  make  mention  of  my  being 
there.' '' 

Before  the  close  of  the  war  General  Allen  removed 
from  Bennington,  and  finally  settled  himself  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Onion  River,  where  in  partnership  with 
his  brothers  he  purchased  large  tracts  of  land. 

His  constitution,  which  was  strong  and  robust,  at 
last  gave  way  under  an  attack  of  apoplexy,  and  he 
died  at  Burlington  in  the  year  1789. 

We  are  not  given  an  account  of  the  closing  chapters 
in  the  life  of  this  disciple  of  liberty,  but  his  example 
while  living  is  radiant  with  the  glow  of  heroism. 
"Few  have  suffered  more  in  the  cause  of  freedom,  few 
have  borne  their  sufferings  with  a  firmer  constancy  or 
a  loftier  spirit.''  He  went  forward  fearlessly  in  the 
cause  of  right,  through  whatever  dangers  threatened, 
with  a  sublime  courage  which  compels  our  deepest 
admiration.  His  personal  presence  w-as  commanding 
in  the  extreme,  and  he  carried  about  him  a  conscious- 
ness of  nobility,  a  kind  of  high-born  pride  in  his  own 
worth  and  character,  which  embodied  the  highest  form 
of  self-respect.  His  figure,  when  arrayed  in  the  Con- 
tinental dress  of  the  times,  showed  to  excellent  advantage, 
and  with  his  armor  buckled  on  and  his  sword  clankino: 
at  his  heels,  he  looked  every  inch  the  commander. 
Vermont  owes  more  to  the  clear,  powerful  brain  and 
strong  right  arm  of  Ethan  Allen,  for  the  foundation 
of  her  State  in  liberty  and  equity,  than  to  any  other 
man,  or  any  other  one  influence.  Such  names  as  his 
well  deserve  the  lasting  remembrance  which  a  grateful 
posterity  accords  them. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
FRANCIS    MARION, 

The  Huguenot  Blood  of  Marion. — Boyhood  Days. — Early  Adven- 
tures.— The  Shipwreck. — Battle  with  Cherokee  Indians. — Marion 
Leads  the  Forlorn  Hope. — The  Bloody  Pas^:. — He  Leaves  Con- 
gress for  the  Army.— Fame  of  Marion's  Men. — Battle  around 
Savannah. — The  Williamsburg  Band. — Marion's  Brigade. — The 
Camp  in  the  Swamp. — Successful  Surprises. — The  Dinner  in  the 
Woods. — Tarleton  and  the  Swamp-Fox. — Song  of  Marion's  Men, 
— Fighting  for  Liberty  without  Clothes  or  Food. — Marriage. — 
Closing  Scenes. 

IF  the  old  aphorism  that  "blood  tells"  be  true,  then 
we  need  not  wonder  that  the  glorious  Huguenot 
blood  of  Francis  Marion  responded  so  warmly  to  the 
alarum  drums  of  Liberty,  calling  all  true  sons  of  the 
soil  to  her  aid,  in  the  hour  of  danger. 

The  fame  ftf  Marion's  men  has  come  down  to  us  in 
song  and  story,  glorified  by  poet  and  historian,  and 
encircled  with  a  light  which  the  world  will  not  will- 
ingly let  die. 

Francis  Marion  was  born  at  Winyah,  near  George- 
town, South  Carolina,  in  1732 — the  birth  year  of 
AVashington.  His  grandfather  fled  from  France,  in 
1685,  in  company  with  other  Huguenots,  who  sought 
on  the  shores  of  the  New  World  the  freedom  denied 
them  at  home.  The  same  heroic  love  of  liberty  was 
transmitted  to  his  grandson,  who  braved  all  dangers  in 
her  cause. 

The  early  boyhood  of  Marion  was  one  of  physical 
weakness,  his  constitution  being  .so  feeble,  until  his 
(lOG) 


FBANCIS  MARION.  107 

twelfth  ye  r,  as  to  excite  the  apprehension  of  his  rela- 
lives  concerning  his  chances  for  life.  But  a  love  of 
athletic  sports  came  to  his  aid  at  this  time,  and, 
though  always  small  of  stature,  he  gradually  acquired 
a  hardiness  of  frame  and  a  power  of  endurance,  which 
was  a  fitting  school  of  preparation  for  the  work  of  after 
years,  when  frequently  the  earth  was  his  only  pillow  and 
the  sky  his  only  covering.  At  fifteen  he  tried  the  sea, 
emharkino;  on  a  small  schooner  eno;ao;ed  in  trade  with 
the  West  Indies.  But  the  sea  illy  recompensed  hini,  and 
gave  him  only  accident  and  shipwreck.  On  his  first 
voyage  out,  a  plank  torn  from  the  bottom  of  the  vessel 
by  a  whale  caused  the  ship  to  founder,  and  the  crew 
floated  out  to  sea  in  a  little  life-boat,  where  for  six  days 
their  only  food  was  a  small  dog  which  had  come  to 
them  from  the  sinking  schooner.  In  consequence  of 
this  disaster  the  crew  nearly  perished  with  famine 
and  thirst,  and  four  of  the  party  died.  At  last  a  big 
ship  came  to  their  aid,  and  they  were  taken  aboard. 
This  adventure  seems  to  have  cured  young  Marion 
of  all  further  desire  for  the  sea,  and  for  the  next  thir- 
teen years  he  remained  at  home  an  humble  tiller  of 
the  soil,  cultivating  quiet  virtues  and  winning  the 
esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  His  first  experience  in 
military  life  began  in  1761.  In  that  year  the  Ciier- 
okee  Indians,  living  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Carolinas, 
commenced  hostilities  against  the  whites,  and  a  force 
of  twelve  hundred  regulars  was  soon  marching  upott 
them.  Marion  offered  himself  as  a  volunteer,  and  the 
governor  gave  him  a  lieutenancy  in  a  j)rovincial  regi- 
ment. It  was  June  the  seventh  v.'hen  the  army 
marched  from  Fort  Prince  George  against  the  hostile 
Cherokees,  who  had  made  a  stand  in  a  narrow  moun- 


108  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

tain  defile,  near  the  Indian  village  of  Etchoee.  The 
pass  was  dangerous,  and  the  concealed  foe  had  all  the 
advantage  of  position.  AVho  would  volunteer  to  lead  the 
advance  guard  into  this  wily  trap  of  the  red  warriors? 
AVho  but  Marion  ?  At  the  head  of  thirty  men  he 
fearlessly  advanced  into  the  narrow  mountain  pass. 
A  savage  war-whoop  and  a  blazing  rifle-blast  greeted 
their  entrance  to  the  dangerous  glen,  and  twenty-one 
out  of  the  thirty  fell  mortally  hurt.  But  Marion  was 
saved  to  the  future.  The  battle  soon  became  general, 
and  after  a  bloody  time  of  it  the  whites  were  vic- 
torious. The  Indian  village  of  Etchoee  was  wantonly 
burned,  and  the  corn-fields  of  the  tribe  laid  v^^aste. 
Marion's  description  of  this  act  reveals  the  pathos, 
the  poetry  and  the  deep  sympathy  of  his  nature.  In  a 
letter  to  a  friend  he  says  :  "  I  saw  everywhere  around 
the  footsteps  of  the  little  Indian  children,  where  they 
had  lately  played  under  the  shade  of  this  rustling  corn. 
No  doubt  they  had  often  looked  up  with  joy  to  the 
swelling  shocks,  and  gladdened  when  they  thought  of 
their  abundant  cakes  for  the  coming  winter.  When 
we  are  gone,  thought  I,  they  will  return,  and  peeping 
through  the  weeds  with  tearful  eyes  will  mark  the 
ghastly  ruin  poured  over  their  homes  and  happy  fields, 
where  they  had  so  often  played.  ^  Who  did  this? '  they 
Avill  ask  their  mothers.  ^The  white  people  did  It,' 
the  mothers  reply ;  ^  the  Christians  did  it.' "  Wliat 
a  world  of  sarcasm  there  is  in  the  last  sentence ! 

The  Cherokees  were  conquered,  and  Marion  returned 
to  his  farm.  In  the  year  1775,  when  the  struggle  for 
American  independence  began,  Marlon  was  a  member 
of  the  Provincial  Congress  of  South  Carolina  from 
Berkeley  County ;  but  he  was  not  content  to  remain 


FRANCIS  MARION.  109 

inactive  when  his  country  stood  imperilled,  and  entered 
the  patriot  army  as  captain.  In  company  with  his 
friend  Captain  Horry  he  started  on  a  recruiting 
expedition,  and  they  succeeded  in  raising  two  com- 
panies of  sixty  men  each,  to  join  the  regiment  under 
Colonel  Moultrie.  Marion  was  a  master  of  tactics, 
and  soon  had  his  men  under  thorough  drill.  His 
leadership  seemed  to  inspire  them,  and  Marion's  name 
soon  became  their  rallying  cry. 

The  capture  of  Fort  Johnson,  on  an  island  in 
Charleston  Harbor,  was  the  first  military  duty  in 
which  Marion  was  engaged ;  but  as  most  of  the  garri- 
son had  gone  to  the  ships,  it  proved"  an  easy  conquest. 
Soon  after  this  Marion  was  commissioned  major,  and 
distino^uished  himself  in  the  defence  of  Fort  Moultrie 
on  Sullivan's  Island.  In  1779  our  French  allies, 
under  Count  D'Estaing,  anchored  off  Savannah,  and 
demanded  a  surrender  of  the  English  garrison  at  that 
point.  To  the  amazement  of  Marion,  twenty-four 
hours  was  granted  the  British  officer  in  command  of 
the  fort  in  which  to  determine  whether  he  would  accede 
to  the  demand  of  the  French  count.  As  might  have 
been  anticipated,  it  was  a  fatal  delay.  The  enemy 
were  enabled  to  intrench,  and  when  the  Americans 
attacked  the  works  around  Savannah,  they  were  met 
with  repulse.  In  this  battle  the  Polish  Count  Pulaski 
was  killed.  Marion  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight, 
but  escaped  uninjured. 

In  1780,  when  General  Lincoln,  after  a  stubborn 
defence  of  Charleston,  was  forced  to  surrender  the 
city,  Marion  was  not  made  a  prisoner  of  war  with  the 
others  on  account  of  a  fractured  ankle,  which  had 
necessitated  his  removal  from    Charleston  before  the 


110       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

surrender  took  place.  At  Camden  the  American 
army  again  suffered  defeat,  and  here  the  brave  Baron 
DeKalb  was  killed.  The  words  of  AVashington, 
standing  over  his  grave,  have  been  recorded.  "  There 
lies  the  brave  DeKalb,^'  said  he,  "  the  generous 
stranger  who  came  from  a  distant  land  to  water  with 
his  blood  the  tree  of  our  liberty.  Would  to  God  he 
had  lived  to  share  with  us  its  fruits  !  " 

The  cause  of  freedom  at  this  time  seemed  almost 
hopeless.  The  outlook  on  every  side  was  gloomy, 
and  the  most  ardent  patriots  were  well-nigh  despairing. 
But  Marion  went  bravely  and  hopefully  forward  in 
the  struggle  for  independence,  undeterred  by  the 
threatening  aspect  of  affairs. 

Somewhere  near  the  twelfth  of  August,  1780,  he 
received  a  summons  from  a  brave  band  of  patriots 
near  Williatnsburg  to  join  them  and  become  their 
leader.  Accepting  the  invitation  he  went  to  Linch's 
Creek,  wdiere  the  force  was  encamped.  Governor 
Rutledge,  of  South  Carolina,  conferred  on  him  a 
general's  commission,  and  placed  him  in  command  of 
that  part  of  the  State.  The  band  numbered  not  more 
than  thirty  men  at  first,  but  after  Marion's  arrival  it 
increased,  and  soon  became  famous  as  Marion's  Brigade. 
The  force  was  mounted,  and  was  soon  put  in  excellent 
shape  for  service.  They  became  renowned  for  their 
skill  in  the  use  of  the  rifle,  and  their  darinii;  deeds  were 
the  admiration  of  the  patriots  and  the  dread  of  the 
Tories.  Saw-mills  were  plundered  of  their  saws  to 
furnish  sabres  for  these  bold  troopers,  and  blacksmiths 
were  employed  to  convert  them  from  their  original 
uses  into  rude  swords.  The  men  were  good  riders, 
were  active  and  hardy,  and  well  adapted  to  the  life 


FRANCIS  MARION.  Ill 

they  led.  '^  To  join  Marion,  to  be  one  of  Marion's 
men,  was  esteemed  the  highest  privilege  to  which  a 
young  man  could  aspire  who  wished  to  serve  his 
country."  Thus  "Marion  commenced  the  forest  war- 
fare which  was  his  only  hope."  His  refuge  was  the 
swamp  fastness,  from  whose  gloomy  depths  he  would 
sally  forth  at  the  head  of  his  troopers  and  strike  the 
enemy  a  blow  which  never  failed  of  success,  and 
retreating  to  his  swamp  remain  secure  until  ready  for 
another  attack.  "No  vigilance  could  guard  against 
his  attacks;  no  persevering  efforts  could  force  him  to 
a  conflict  when  the  chances  of  war  were  against  him. 
At  one  time  he  would  appear  at  one  point,  and  after 
sweeping  a  troop  of  Tories  before  him  and  securing 
their  munitions,  in  an  incredibly  short  period  he  would 
strike  another  point  far  distant  from  them." 

The  liberties  of  America  were  indeed  well  defended  at 
the  hands  of  Marion's  men.  Right  away  after  taking 
command  of  this  force  Marion  captured  the  squadron 
of  Major  Gainey,  coming  upon  them  by  surprise  and 
taking  the  whole  force  prisoners.  Another  success  more 
brilliant  soon  followed.  Two  hundred  American 
prisoners  taken  at  Camden  were  being  conducted  to 
Charleston  across  the  country,  under  a  guard  of  ninety 
British  soldiers.  They  passed  near  Nelson's  ferry,  and 
Marion  and  his  men  concealed  themselves  on  the  other 
side  awaiting  their  approach.  When  the  English  had 
crossed  they  sought  a  public  house  near  by,  and  after 
spending  some  time  in  drinking  and  carousing,  threw 
themselves  down  to  sleep  in  a  spacious  arbor  in  front 
of  the  house.  Seizing  the  favorable  moment  Marion's 
bold  troopers  rushed  upon  the  sentinels,  and  with 
shouts  and  demands  for  surrender,  surprised  and  cap- 


112        HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

tured  the  British  soldiery.  The  American  prisoners 
they  Rad  wiih  them  were  set  at  liberty.  Other  equally 
bold  exploits  followed  these  in  rapid  succession,  until 
a  special  force  of  the  enemy  was  set  on  track  of  Marion 
with  the  determination  to  crush  him  by  overwhelming 
numbers.  But  Marion  was  not  destined  to  be  thus, 
easily  crushed.  "  With  more  than  two  hundred 
British  regulars  in  his  front  and  about  five  hundred 
Tories  in  his  rear,  he  commenced  a  retreat  which  was 
conducted  with  consummate  skill  and  success.^'  Many 
of  his  men  were  dismissed  to  their  houses  after  pledging 
themselves  to  return  when  called  for,  promises  which 
were  never  known  to  be  disregarded.  Then,  at  the 
head  of  about  sixty  men,  he  would  enter  the  swamps 
where  the  enemy  dared  not  follow,  and  lying  concealed, 
wait  until  the  immediate  danger  was  over.  His  style 
of  living  at  this  time  was  hardly  suggestive  of  luxury, 
raucii  less  comfort.  Judge  Janes  describes  a  dinner 
with  General  Marion  in  one  of  these  swamp  camps  as 
follows:  "The  dinner  was  set  before  the  company  by 
the  general's  servant  Oscar,  partly  on  a  pine  log  and 
partly  on  the  ground.  It  consisted  of  lean  beef  with- 
out salt,  and  sweet  potatoes.  The  author  had  left  a 
small  pot  of  hominy  in  his  camp,  and  requested  leave 
of  his  host  to  send  for  it.  The  proposal  was  gladly  acqui- 
esced in.  The  hominy  had  salt  in  it  and  proved,  thou<rh 
eaten  out  of  the  pot,  a  very  acceptable  repast.  .  .  .  We 
had  nothing  to  drink  but  bad  water,  and  all  the  company 
appeared  to  be  rather  grave." 

At  last  the  enemy  abandoned  the  pursuit,  and  Marion 
left  North  Carolina  and  again  advanced  southward. 
Information  reached  him  that  a  large  force  of  Tories 
was  stationed  at  Shepherd's  Ferry,  on  the  Black  Mingo 


FRANCIS  MARION.  113 

Hlver,  and  he  determined  to  surprise  and  capture  tlieir 
camp.  The  only  approach  to  it  was  over  a  plank  bridge 
about  a  mile  below  the  ferry.  Unfortunately  the 
galloping  hoofs  of  the  horses  as  they  crossed  the  bridge 
was  heard  through  the  stillness  of  the  night  by  the 
enemy,  and  an  alarm  gun  was  sounded  which  warned 
the  sleeping  Tories  of  his  approach.  Marion  then 
ordered  a  charge,  and  the  patriots  swept  down  upon 
the  enemy  with  Irresistible  fury.  The  Tories  fled  in 
confiLsIon,  and  their  commander  was  killed.  The 
surprise  and  capture  was  complete.  It  was  said  that 
after  this  conflict  Marion  never  crossed  a  bridge  at 
night  without  spreading  blankets  upon  it  to  deaden  the 
sound.  Some  time  after  this  event  Marion  learned 
that  one  Colonel  Tynes  was  raising  a  body  of  Tories 
in  the  forks  of  the  Black  E-iver,  and  that  he  had  In  his 
possession  a  full  supply  of  saddles,  blankets,  pistols, 
powder  and  ball,  which  he  had  brought  from  Charles- 
ton. These  were  the  very  articles  which  Marion's  men 
wanted,  and  a  midnight  attack  was  planned.  The 
result  was  all  they  had  hoped  for.  Colonel  Tynes  and 
a  large  part  of  his  force  were  taken  prisoners,  and  the 
coveted  spoils  fell  into  Marion's  hands.  Thus  he  made 
himself  the  terror  of  the  Tories  far  and  wide  wherever 
his  bold  warriors  rode.  Renewed  efforts  were  made  by 
the  British  to  crush  him,  but  without  success.  At  one 
time,  after  a  fruitless  chase  by  Colonel  Tarleton,  this 
officer  is  reported  to  have  said  to  his  men,  "  Come,  boys, 
let  us  go  back.  We  will  soon  find  the  gaine-cock" — 
meaning  General  Sumter — "  but  as  for  this  swamp-fox 
the  devil  himself  could  not  catch  him  !  "  Marlon  was 
in  the  habit  of  calling  his  men  by  imitating  the  cry  of 
the  swamp-fox,  and  from  this  circumstance  the  name 


114        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

doubtless    originated.     One    of    the    songs    sung    by 
Marion's  men  also  perpetuates  this  appellation  : 
"  We  follow  where  the  Swamp-Fox  guides, 
His  friends  and  merry  men  are  we ; 
And  when  the  troop  of  Tarleton  rides 

We  burrow  in  the  cypress  tree. 
The  turfy  tussock  is  our  bed, 

Our  liome  is  in  the  red  deer's  den, 
Our  roof  the  tree-top  overhead, 
For  we  are  wild  and  hunted  men. 

"We  fly  by  day  and  shun  its  light, 

But  prompt  to  strike  the  sudden  blow, 
We  mount  and  start  witii  early  night 

And  through  the  forest  track  our  foe; 
And  s(.)on  lie  hears  our  chargers  leap. 

The  flashing  sabre  blinds  his  eyes, 
And  ere  he  drives  away  his  sleep 

And  rushes  from  his  camp,  he  dies. 

"  Now  stir  the  fire  and  lie  at  ease, 

The  scouts  are  gone,  and  on  the  brush 
I  see  the  colonel  bend  his  knees 

To  take  his  slumbers  too— but  hush ! 
He's  praying,  comrades  :  'tis  not  strange; 

The  man  that's  fighting  day  by  day 
May  well  when  night  comes  take  a  change, 

And  down  upon  his  knees  to  pray. 

"Now  pile  the  brush,  and  roll  the  log — 

Hard  pillow,  but  a  soldier's  head. 
That's  half  the  time  in  brake  and  bog, 

Must  never  think  of  softer  bed. 
The  owl  is  hooting  to  the  night, 

The  cootcr  crawling  o'er  the  bank. 
And  in  that  pond  the  plashing  light 

Tells  where  the  alligator  sank. 

"But  courage,  comrades,  Marlon  leads  ; 
The  Swamp-Fox  takes  us  out  to-niglit, 
So  clear  your  swords,  and  coax  your  steeds, 
There's  goodly  chance  1  think  of  fight. 


FEAyCIS  MA  HI  ox.  115 

We  follow  where  the  Swamp- Fox  guides, 

We  leave  the  swamp  and  cypress  tree ; 
Our  spurs  are  in  our  coursers'  sides, 

And  ready  for  the  strife  are  we. 
The  Tory  camp  is  now  in  sight, 

And  there  he  cowers  within  his  den ; 
He  hears  our  shout,  lie  dreads  the  fight, 

He  fears  and  flies  from  Marion's  men." 

"While  lying  at  Snow's  Islanrl,  an  exchange  of  pris- 
oners having  been  agreed  upon,  a  young  British  officer 
was  sent  from  Georgetown  to  complete  the  arrange- 
ments with  Marion.  He  was  conducted  into  the  camp 
blindfolded.  When  his  eyes  were  unbandaged  a  forest 
scene  greeted  his  gaze.  Tall  trees  surrounded  him. 
Groups  of  rudely-costumed  soldiers  wer^  lyi^g  under 
their  shadow,  and  horses  stood  near  by  ready  to  be 
mounted  at  a  moment's  notice.  "  Before  him  stood 
Marion  himself,  small  in  stature,  slight  in  person,  dark 
and  swarthy  in  complexion,  with  a  quiet  manner,  but 
a  brilliant  and  searching  eye."  The  young  English 
officer  was  struck  with  astonishment.  Was  this  the 
man  whose  name  had  become  so  famous,  and  were 
these  the  soldiers  who  had  filled  with  terror  the  hearts 
of  the  Tories?  After  business  was  over,  the  officer 
was  asked  to  remain  to  dinner.  He  did  so.  "Sweet 
potatoes  smoking  from  the  ashes  were  placed  upon  a 
piece  of  bark,  and  set  before  the  general  and  his  guest." 
"  Doubtless  this  is  an  accidental  meal, "  said  the 
bewildered  officer;  "you  live  better  in  general?" 
"No,"  was  the  reply,  "  we  often  fare  much  worse." 
"  Then  I  hope  at  least  you  draw  noble  pay  to  com- 
pensate ?  " 

"Xot  a  cent,  sir,"  replied  Marion,  "not  a  cent." 
The  officer  reported  at  Georgetown  that  he  had  seen 
an  American  general  and  his  officers,  without  pay  and 


lie  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

almost  without  clothes,  living  on  roots,  and  drinking 
y,yixtev — all  for  liberty.  "  What  chance  liave  we  against 
such  men  ?  "  said  he.  This  officer  resigned  his  com- 
mission, and  never  afterwards  served  during  the  war. 
In  1781  General  Greene  sent  the  celebrated  command 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  Lee — "Light-Horse 
Harry  ^^ — to  join  Marion,  but  they  were  baffled  in  their 
efforts  by  want  of  strict  co-operation  in  their  forces. 

Major  Mcllraith,  an  English  officer,  once  reproached 
Marlon  for  his  Indian  mode  of  warfare,  and  proposed 
a  conflict  on  open  ground.  Marion  sent  back  word 
that  if  Major  Mcllraith  thought  proper,  a  pitched  bat- 
tle might  take  place  between  twenty  picked  men  on 
both  sides.  *The  offer  was  accepted,  but  as  the  hour 
for  the  conflict  drew  near,  Mcllraith  abandoned  the 
project,  and  escaped  with  his  entire  force. 

After  this  there  came  a  time  of  despondency  to  the 
patriot  band,  who  were  so  closely  and  so  constantly 
pursued  by  the  enemy.  But  Marion  kept  up  their 
spirits  by  patriotic  speeches,  and  "so  wrought  upon 
them,  that  those  who  were  with  lilm  declared  they 
would  rather  die  than  desert  him,"  Harry  Lee  again 
joined  Marion,  and  Fort  Watson,  on  the  Santee  River, 
w^as  invested,  and  speedily  capitulated.  Fort  Motte 
next  surrendered,  and  Marlon's  activity  continued  in 
this  unremitting  way  until  the  close  of  hostilities  in 
South  Carolina. 

Some  time  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  York- 
town,  Marion  left  his  brigade,  and  returned  to  his 
plantation  in  St.  John^s  parish,  where  he  set  himself 
to  work  to  repair  the  damages  done  his  property  by 
the  fortunes  of  war.  Once  more  he  was  sent  to  the 
Senate  of  South   Carolina   as  the  member  from   St. 


FRANCIS  MARION.  117 

John's.  "On  the  twenty-sixth  of  February,  1783,  tlie 
following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted  by  the 
Senate  of  his  native  State  : 

^'Besolvecl,  That  the  thanks  of  this  House  be  given 
to  Brigadier-General  Marion  in  his  place,  as  a  member 
of  this  House,  for  his  eminent  and  conspicuous  services 
to  his  country. 

"Resolved,  That  a  gold  medal  be  given  to  Brigadier- 
General  Marion  as  a  mark  of  public  approbation  for 
his  great,  glorious  and  meritorious  conduct." 

In  1784  Marion  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
Fort  Johnson,  in  Charleston  Harbor,  with  a  salary  of 
five  hundred  pounds.  He  was  now  fifty  years  old,  and 
yet  unmarried.  But  at  this  time  Cupid  came  to  his 
rescue.  Miss  Mary  Videau,  "a  maiden  lady  of 
Huo^uenot  descent,  of  considerable  wealth  and  most  esti- 
mable  character,"  was  the  person  upon  whom  his  choice 
fell,  and  who  was  the  constant  companion  of  his  declin- 
ing years.  Her  deep  admiration  for  this  hero  of  a 
hundred  battles  grew  into  a  more  tender  feeling,  and 
their  mutual  friends  were  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  the  happy  result.  They  lived  a  quiet,  peaceful 
life  too:ether  durino;  the  rest  of  Marion's  life.  On  Feb- 
ruary  twenty -seventh,  1795,  the  brave  soul  of  Marion 
passed  to  the  spirit  world.  He  took  with  him  the 
consciousness  of  noble  actions  and  pure  motives. 

"  Thnnk  God  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  can  lay  my  hand 
on  my  heart,  and  say  that  since  I  came  to  man's  estate 
I  have  never  intentionally  done  wrong  to  any." 

Marion  left  to  posterity  the  noblest  of  examples — 
an  example  which  will,  no  doubt,  be  a  source  of  inspi- 
ration to  many  a  youth  in  this  generation,  and  in  gen- 
erations to  come,  inciting  them  to  purity  and  strength 
^nd  splendid  endeavor. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
JOHN    PAUL   JONES. 

Tlie  Sailor-Boy  of  Solway  Frith. — Ancestry. — Boyish  Pursuits. — His 
First  Voyage. — Kapid  E.ise  in  the  Marine  Service. — In  Virginia* 
— America  liia  Adopted  Country. — Created  an  Officer  of  the 
United  States. — Adventures  on  the  Sea. — The  Terror  of  tlie  Eng- 
lisli. — Action  of  tlie  "Bon  Homme  Eichard"  and  "Serapis." 
— Glorious  Generalship. — Surrender  of  the  English  Ship. — Fame 
of  the  Chevalier  Paul  Jones. — The  Gold  Sword  and  the  Cross  of 
Merit. — American  Prisoners  Liberated. — At  the  Courts  of  Den- 
mark and  Russia. — Medals  and  Honor. — Last  Days  of  the  Hero. 

OF  Chevalier  John  Paul  Jones,  the  Americanized 
Scotchman,  I  write  as  of  one  whose  remarkable 
exploits  are  worthy  of  being  recorded ;  whose  name, 
blazing  suddenly  out  from  the  unnoticed  atmosphere  of 
private  life  into  the  lustre  of  fame  in  a  noble  cause, 
deserves  to  be  placed  upon  the  nation's  roll  of  honor. 
His  birthplace  was  Arbigland,  parish  of  Kirkbean^ 
stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright,  Scotland.  The  time  of 
his  arrival  bears  date  of  July  sixth,  1747.  Though 
some  writers  have  endeavored  to  trace  the  lineage  of 
this  hero  of  the  seas  to  noble  blood,  there  is  no  authen- 
tic record  to  sustain  the  theory.  His  father  and  his 
grandfather  pursued  the  humble  occupation  of  gar- 
deners. The  family  maintained  a  reputation  for  great 
respectability  and  intelligence,  but  no  lord,  or  earl, 
or  noble  duUe  can  be  truthfully  accredited  to  their 
genealogical  tree.  The  mother  of  the  embryo  chevalier, 
before  marriage,  bore  the  name  of  McDuff — a  name 
which  the  genius  of  Shakspeare  has  duly  immortalized; 
(118) 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  119 

but  she  also  was  of  humble  birth,  being  only  the 
daughter  of  a  small  farmer  in  the  neighboring  parish 
of  New  Abbey,  though  some  of  her  family  had  been 
small  landed  proprietors  in  the  parish  of  Kirkbean 
from  time  out  of  mind. 

The  very  pronounced  liking  of  young  John  Paul  for 
the  ocean,  w'as  shown  at  an  early  age,  and  the  favorite 
occupation  of  his  boyhood  was  prophetic  of  his  after 
career.  He  lived  near  the  shores  of  the  Sol  way,  in  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  points  of  the  Frith,  and  it  was 
his  delight  to  launch  his  little  boat  on  the  waters,  and 
shout  his  orders  to  an  imaginary  crew.  "At  this  time 
the  town  of  Dumfries  carried  on  a  considerable  trade 
in  tobacco  with  America,  the  cargoes  of  which  were 
unshipped  at  the  Carse-thorn,  near  tlie  mouth  of  the 
River  Nith,  which  was  not  then  navigable  by  foreign 
vessels.  His  daily  intercourse  with  seamen  here  tended 
of  course  to  strengthen  and  confirm  his  nascent  pas- 
sion.'^ He  began  his  career  on  the  ocean  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old.  At  that  time  he  was  apprenticed  to 
Mr.  Younger,  a  merchant  trading  with  America,  who 
resided  at  Whitehaven,  on  the  opposite  side  of  Solway 
Frith.  During  his  apprenticeship  he  applied  himself 
to  the  study  of  navigation  at  intervals  when  he  was  off 
duty.  He  kept  up  a  systematic  course  of  midnight 
toil,  where  he  learned  the  French  language  in  addi- 
tion to  his  seafaring  studies,  and  attained  such  pro- 
ficiency that  afterwards  his  correspondence  was  partly 
carried  on  in  well-written  French.  Before  he  Was 
thirteen  he  sailed  for  the  Rappahannock  in  the  "Friend- 
ship," of  AVhitehaven,  Captain  Benson  commanding.  It 
was  his  first  voyage  out,  and  it  laid  the  foundation  for 
his  subsequent  attachment  to  America,  the  country  of 


120  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

his  adoption.  While  in  port  on  the  Rappahannock, 
he  stayed  at  the  home  of  his  elder  brother  William, 
in  "Virginia.  Here  was  fostered  that  deep  sympathy 
for  the  cause  of  American  independence  for  which,  in 
after  years,  he  drew  his  sword,  and  in  whose  behalf  he 
performed  such  valiant  deeds. 

Soon  after  this  date,  Mr.  Younger,  owing  to  embar- 
rassments in  business  aiFairs,  released  young  John  Paul 
from  his  apprenticeship.  Thus  the  responsibility  of 
the  young  hero's  future  career  was  taken  upon  himself. 
He  did  not  go  straight  to  ruin,  as  might  have  been 
reasonably  anticipated,  as  under  the  circumstances  nine 
boys  out  of  ten  would  have  done.  On  the  contrary, 
he  rose  rapidly  to  the  position  of  master  of  a  shi]^.  In 
the  first  place,  after  being  thrown  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, he  obtained  the  appointment  of  third  mate  in 
the  "King  George" — a  vessel  engaged  in  the  slave  trade, 
hailing  from  Whitehaven.  "  In  1766  he  shipped  as 
chief  mate  on  board  the  brigantine  'Two  Friends,' 
of  Kingston,  Jamaica."  This  vessel  was  also  engaged 
in  the  slave  traffic,  but  it  is  recorded  that  the  prospec- 
tive chevalier  became  so  disgusted  with  the  business  of 
stealing  human  beings,  that  he  left  the  ship  on  her 
arrival  in  the  AVest  Indies.  Returning  to  Scotland,  a 
passenger  on  another  vessel,  the  captain  and  mate  died 
of  lever  on  the  way,  and  Paul  took  command  of  the 
brigantine,  bringing  her  safely  into  port — a  service  for 
which  he  was  rewarded  by  receiving  the  appointment 
of  master  and  supercargo  of  the  vessel.  In  the  employ- 
ment of  this  firm  he  afterwards  made  two  voyages, 
and  some  time  during  the  year  1770,  commanded  the 
''Betsy,"  of  London,  a  vessel  engaged  in  the  West 
India  trade.     Here  he  entered  into  large  and  successful 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  121 

financial  speculations.  In  1771,  he  left  Scotland,  as  his 
home,  forever.  In  1773,  he  was  called  again  to  Vir- 
ginia to  settle  the  estate  of  his  brother  William,  who 
had  died  childless,  and  whose  property,  therefore,  fell  to 
John  Paul.  At  this  time,  if  we  may  judge  from  his 
letters,  he  contemplated  a  life  of  quiet  seclusion  and 
])eaceful  pursuits  on  the  estate  to  which  he  had  fallen 
heir.  In  a  letter  to  the  Countess  of  Selkirk  at  this 
time,  his  theme  was  the  retirement  of  domestic  life,  its 
joys,  its  quietude,  its  ^^  calm  contemplation  and  poetic 
ease.'^ 

But  Nature  moulded  him  for  other  purposes.  His 
was  destined  to  be  no  life  of  calm  sailing  on  unruffled 
seas.  A  stirring  epoch  awaited  him.  The  struggle  for 
American  independence  drew  on  apace,  and  great  cir- 
cumstances claimed  him  as  their  master.  His  adopted 
country — the  land  of  his  affections  and  friendships — 
needed  her  hero  of  the  seas,  and  he  was  not  deaf  to  her 
call.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1775,  John  Paul 
sailed  from  Boston,  commissioned  by  the  Continental 
Congress  an  officer  of  the  United  States.  He  was  of 
great  service  on  the  high  seas  to  the  young  colonies, 
and  soon  became  the  leading  man  in  the  American 
navy.  He  gave  to  the  American  flag  in  foreign  waters 
a  reputation  which  it  never  afterwards  lost.  With  a 
seemingly  insignificant  force  he  became  the  terror  of 
the  British  coast. 

On  the  eighth  of  August,  1776,  John  Paul  received 
a  captain's  commission  from  the  President  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Congress.     The  document  read  as  follows: 

"T/ie  Delegates  of  the    United  States  of    New  Hampshire^ 
Massachusetts  Bat/,  lihode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York, 


122        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

New  Jersey^  Pennsylvania,  Delaware^  Maryland^  Virginia^ 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  'To 

"John  Paul  Jones,  Esq. 

"We,  reposing  especial  trust  and  confidence  in  youl 
patriotism,  valor,  conduct  and  fidelity,  do  by  these 
Presents,  constitute  and  appoint  you  to  be  Captain  in 
the  navy  of  the  United  States  of  North  America,  fitted 
out  for  the  defence  of  American  Liberty,  and  for 
repelling  every  hostile  invasion  thereof.  You  are, 
therefore,  carefully  and  diligently  to  discharge  the 
duty  of  Captain,  by  doing  and  performing  all  manner 
of  things  thereunto  belonging.  And  we  do  strictly 
charge  and  require  all  officers,  marines  and  seamen 
under  your  command,  to  be  obedient  to  your  orders 
as  Captain.  And  you  are  to  observe  and  follow  such 
orders  and  directions  from  time  to  time  as  you  shall 
receive  from  this  or  a  future  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  or  committee  of  Congress  for  that  purpose 
appointed,  or  commander-in-cliief  for  the  time  being 
of  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  or  any  other  your 
superior  officer,  according  to  the  rules  and  discipline 
of  war,  the  usage  of  the  sea,  and  the  instructions  here- 
with given  you,  in  pursuance  of  the  trust  reposed  in 
you.  This  commission  to  continue  in  force  until 
revoked  by  this  or  a  future  Congress. 

"Dated  at  Philadelphia,  October  10th,  177G. 
"By  order  of  the  Congress  : 

"  John  Hancock,  President 
"Attest,  Charles  Tno:\iPSON,  Sccretanj.^' 

In  command  of  the  sloop  "Providence,"  Captain 
Jones  went  out  on  a  cruise  against   the  enemy.     His 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  123 

orders  did  not  limit  him  to  any  particular  place  or  ser- 
vice. The  *'  Providence "  mounted  twelve  four- 
pounders,  and  when  he  set  sail  from  the  Delaware, 
August  twenty-first,  he  had  only  seventy  men.  He 
arrived  at  Rhode  Island,  October  seventh,  1776. 
*'  Near  the  latitude  of  Bermudas  he  had  a  very  narrow 
escape  from  the  enemy's  frigate,  the  ^  Solebay,'  after  a 
chase  and  an  engagement  of  six  hours  within  cannon- 
shot,  and  part  of  the  time  within  pistol-shot.  After- 
wards, near  the  Isle  of  Sable,  Captain  Jones  had  a 
running  fight  with  the  enemy's  frigate,  the  '  Milford,' 
and  the  firing  between  them  lasted  from  ten  in  the 
morning  until  after  sunset.  The  next  day  Captain 
Jones  entered  the  harbor  of  Canso,  where  he  recruited 
several  men,  took  the  Tory  flags,  destroyed  all  the 
fisheries  and  burned  the  shipping,  sailing  again  next 
morning  on  an  expedition  against  the  island  of  Madam. 
He  made  two  descents  at  the  principal  ports  of  that 
island  at  the  same  time;  surprised,  burned  and  destroyed 
all  their  shipping  and  fishery,  though  the  place  abounded 
with  armed  men."  This  series  of  achievements  occu- 
pied six  weeks  and  five  days,  in  which  time  Captain 
Jones  made  sixteen  prizes  and  destroyed  a  great  num- 
ber of  small  vessels  and  fisheries. 

On  the  second  of  November,  1776,  he  started  on  an 
expedition  in  command  of  the  "Providence"  and 
"Alfred" — the  last  ship  mustering  only  one  hundred 
and  forty  men.  That  night  he  anchored  at  Tarpawliiig 
Cove,  near  Nantucket,  and  the  next  day  proceeded  on 
his  conquering  voyage.  During  this  cruise,  which 
lasted  until  the  fifteenth  of  December,  when  h<  anchored 
in  Boston  Harbor,  he  captured  five  prize-ships  ana 
brought    back    one    hundred    and    fifty    prisoners    on 


124       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

board  the  "Alfred."  While  middng'  trips  between  Kew- 
port  and  New  York  transporliiig  blores  and  troops, 
Captain  Jones  had  several  rencounters  with  the 
"  Cerberus  "  frigate  and  with  others.  In  a  memorial  to 
the  President  of  Congress  he  speaks  of  this  time  as 
follows : 

''The  first  service  I  performed  in  the  ^Providence' 
was  to  transport  a  number  of  soldiers  from  Providence 
to  New  York,  which  General  Washington  had  lent  us 
at  New  London  to  inspire  us  with  courage  to  venture 
round  to  Rhode  Island.  The  commodore  employed 
me  afterwards  for  some  time  to  escort  vessels  from 
Rhode  Island  into  the  Sound,  etc.,  wliile  the  *  Cerberus' 
and  other  vessels  cruised  round  Block  Island.  At 
last  I  received  orders  to  proceed  to  Boston  to  take 
under  convoy  some  vessels  laden  with  coal  for  Phila- 
delphia. I  performed  that  service  about  the  time 
when  Lord  Howe  arrived  at  Sandy  Hook."  After 
this  he  sailed  from  the  Delaware  with  "  unlimited 
orders"  in  command  of  a  little  squadron — a  trust  to 
wdiich  he  never  failed  to  do  honor.  The  list  of  prize- 
ships  he  captured  Vvas  always  large,  and  at  times  his 
skill  was  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  convoy  the  prizes 
safely  into  a  home  port.  ^Many  were  the  hair-breadth 
escapes,  many  the  skilful  manoeuvres,  and  many  the 
deeds  of  daring  performed  by  the  valiant  Captain 
John  Paul  during  these  years  of  war  for  glorious 
liberty.  He  took  the  sea  against  the  British  flag  with 
a  success  which  amply  proved  both  his  patriotism  and 
his  signal  ability.  His  letters  during  this  time 
written  to  the  American  Commissioners  and  others, 
contain  full  descriptions  of  his  adventures. 

On  i'nQ  twenty-second  of  February,  1778,  he  wrote 
to  the  Marine  Committee  as  follows: 


JOHN  PAUL   JONES.  125 

"  I  have  in  contemplation  several  enterprises  of  some 
importance.  .  .  .  AVhen  an  enemy  thinks  a  design 
against  him  improbable,  he  can  always  be  surprised 
and  attacked  with  advantage.  It  is  true,  I  must  run 
great  risk ;  but  no  gallant  action  was  ever  performed 
without  danger.  Therefore,  though  I  cannot  ensure 
success,  I  will  endeavor  to  deserve  it." 

Captain  Jones  now  began  to  excite  some  attention  in 
England,  as  the  following  extract  from  a  London  paper 
of  February  twenty-second,  1778,  will  show: 

"  Paul  Jones  is  about  thirty-six  years  of  age,  of  a 
middling  stature,  well  proportioned,  with  an  agreeable 
countenance  ;  his  conversation  shows  him  a  man  of 
talents,  and  that  he  has  got  a  liberal  education.  His 
letters  in  foreign  gazettes  show  he  can  fight  with  the 
pen  as  well  as  the  sword.  The  famous  Captain  Cun- 
ningham is  with  him,  who  escaped  out  of  an  English 
prison.'^ 

In  command  of  the  American  Continental  ship 
"  Ranger,''  he  engaged  the  "  Drake,"  an  English  vessel, 
in  a  sharp  fight  off  the  Scotch  shore,  near  Whitehaven. 
He  was  victorious  as  usual,  and  made  a  successful 
descent  upon  Whitehaven.  "The  surprise  produced 
in  Great  Britain  by  this  daring  attempt  upon  her 
coasts  must  have  been  as  great  as  the  latter  was  unex- 
pected. His  objects  were,  distinctly  to  make  some 
bold  stroke  which  should  inspire  fear  of  the  American 
arms,  to  retaliate  for  the  burning  of  towns  and  destruc- 
tion of  private  property,  to  destroy  as  much  public 
])roperty  as  he  could,  and  to  secure  a  number  of 
prisoners  as  hostages  for  the  better  treatment  of  the 
captured  Americans,  who  were  suffering  miserably  in 
the  jails  and  hulks  of  the  enemy."     The  success  of  the 


126       HEROES  OF   THREE  WARS. 

Chevalier  John  Paul  cannot  fail  to  excite  astonish- 
ment. "It  was  one  of  the  most  impudent  attacks 
since  the  time  of  the  sea-kings,  and  it  is  no  wonder 
that  those  whose  eyes  were  so  rudely  opened  to  a  dis- 
covery of  their  weakness,  stigmatized  it  as  inglorious 
and  its  conductor  as  a  pirate."  Jones'  vessel  was  not 
a  privateer,  but  a  United  States  vessel  of  war,  under 
the  command  of  a  fully  commissioned  officer  of  the 
United  States. 

In  this  descent  upon  Whitehaven,  the  family  plate 
of  the  Countess  of  Selkirk  was  taken  by  his  men. 
When  afterwards  it  was  sold  by  the  prize  agents, 
Captain  Jones  became  its  purchaser  and  returned  it  to 
its  owners.  On  his  return  to  Brest,  May  eighth, 
1778,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  countess  on  the  subject, 
which  was  very  widely  published.  The  letter  was 
characterized  by  Dr.  Franklin  as  a  "gallant  letter 
which  must  give  her  ladyship  a  high  opinion  of  his 
generosity  and  nobleness  of  mind.''  Part  of  the  letter 
is  quoted  below.  Its  language  is  indeed  full  of 
gallantry. 

" Madam : 

"  It  cannot  be  too  much  lamented  that  in  the  pro- 
fession of  arms  the  officer  of  fine  feeling  and  of  real 
sensibility  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  winking 
at  any  action  of  persons  under  his  command,  which 
his  heart  cannot  approve ;  but  the  reflection  is  doubly 
severe  when  he  finds  himself  obliged,  in  appearance, 
to  countenance  such  actiens  by  his  authority. 

"  This  hard  case  was  mine  when,  on  the  twenty- 
third  of  April  last,  I  landed  on  St.  Mary's  Isle. 
Knowing  Lord  Selkirk's  interest  with  his  king,  and 


JOHN  PAUL   JONES.  127 

esteeming  as  I  do  his  private  character,  I  wish  to 
make  him  the  happy  instrument  of  alleviating  the 
horrors  of  hopeless  captivity,  when  the  brave  are  over- 
powered and  made  prisoners  of  war.  ...  It  was  my 
intention  to  have  taken  him  on  board  the  '  Ranger, 
and  to  have  detained  him  until,  through  his  means, 
a  general  and  fair  exchange  of  prisoners,  as  well  in 
Europe  as  in  America,  had  been  effected." 

Ill  this  vein  of  politeness  the  letter  continues— 
telling  the  fair  countess  that  he  would  undertake  to 
redeem  the  family  plate,  captured  against  his  wishes. 
It  was  fortunate  for  Lord  Selkirk  that  he  was  absent 
from  home.  Otherwise  he  would  have  been  "  detained, 
as   the  chevalier   expresses  it,  as  a  hostage  for   fair 

treatment. 

Lord  Selkirk  wrote  a  letter  in  reply  to  that 
addressed  to  his  countess,  intimating  that  he  would 
accept  the  return  of  the  plate  if  made  by  order  of 
Congress,  but  not  if  redeemed  by  individual  generosity 
The  letter  was  delayed  some  months  in  the  general 
post-office  in  London,  and  it  was  not  until  the  begin- 
nino-  of  1780  that  Jones  was  enabled  to  get  the  plate 
from  the  prize  agents  into  whose  hands  it  had  fallen 
It  was  at  last  returned  in  the  same  condition  in  which 
it  had  been  removed,  after  no  end  of  difficulty  and 
trouble  on  the  part  of  Jones. 

The  hostile  attitude  of  England  and  France  at  this 
time,  and    the  sympathy  of  tlie  nation  of  Lafayette 
for  America,  rendered  the  news  of  Jolin  PauFs  expedi- 
tion "gratifying  and  inspiring  to  the  French  Court. 
Praises   were    heaped  upon    him,  and  promises   were 

plentiful.  -o      X  r 

After  this  the  Chevalier  Paul  remained  at  Brest  tor 


128  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

many  months  of  inglorious  inactivity,  waiting  for  a 
ship  to  be  got  ready  for  him,  concerning  which  there 
was  an  unaccountable  delay.  A  great  deal  of  diplo- 
matic correspondence  supplemented  the  impatient 
waiting,  until  at  last  he  was  tendered  the  command 
of  a  squadron  with  carte-blanche  orders,  and  the  limit- 
less field  of  the  high  seas  for  his  theatre  of  action.  Tlie 
armament  consisted  of  the  "Bon  Homme  Richard,'^ 
the  "Alliance/'  the  "Pallas,''  the  brig  "Vengeance/' 
and  the  "Cerf/'  a  fine  cutter.  The  "Bon  Homme 
Richard/'  commanded  by  the  chevalier  himself, 
mounted  only  one  hundred  and  forty  guns,  but  it 
was  destined  soon  after  to  win  deathless  laurels  as  the 
successful  participant  in  one  of  the  most  famous  naval 
battles  then  on  record.  The  prowess  of  iron-clad 
"  Merri  macs  "  and  turreted  "Monitors"  had  not  yet 
claimed  the  attention  of  the  world. 

The  engagement  between  the  "Bon  Homme 
Richard"  and  the  British  ship  of  war  "Serapis," 
took  place  on  the  evening  of  September  twenty-third, 
1779.  The  desperate  conflict  was  witnessed  by  thou- 
sands of  spectators  along  the  English  coast  off  Flam- 
borough  Head,  near  Scarboro,  and  the  light  of  a 
beautiful  harvest  moon  shed  its  peaceful  radiance 
across  the  waters  in  striking  contrast  to  the  bloody 
scene  going  on  below.  At  about  noon  of  that  historic 
day.  Captain  Jones  discovered  a  fleet  of  forty-one 
sail  rounding  Flamborough  Head,  and  immediately 
hoisted  the  signal  for  a  general  chase.  The  fleet  was 
protected  by  two  ships  of  war,  the  "  Serapis  "  and  the 
"  Countess  of  Scarborougli." 

When  the  merchant  vessels  discovered  the  squadron 
of    Captain    Jones    bearing    down    upon    them    they 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  131 

'^crowded  sail  towards  shore"  and  thus  escaped. 
Tlie  Chevalier  Jones  was  nnable  to  come  up  with  the 
fleet  until  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  when  he 
had  approached  to  within  pistol-shot  of  the  "Serapis," 
Captain  Pearson,  commanding,  demanded  : 

"AVhatship  is  that?" 

He  was  answered  with,  "  I  can't  hear  what  you 
say." 

The  "  Serapis  "  asked  again,  "  What  ship  is  that  ? 
Answer  immediately  or  I  shall  be  under  the  necessity 
of  firing  into  you." 

Tlie  answer  was  a  broadside. 

Thus  the  famous  battle  began,  and  for  between 
three  and  four  hours  it  raged  with  uninterrupted  fury. 
The  two  ships  closed  like  men  in  mortal  combat,  their 
death-dealing  guns  touching  each  other's  sides,  and 
their  rigging  becoming  entangled. 

As  the  jib-boom  of  the  "Serapis"  ran  into  the 
mizzen-rigging  of  the  "  Bon  Homme  Richard  "  they 
were  made  fast  by  Captain  Jones,  with  a  hawser,  which 
afterwards  prevented  an  attempt  of  the  "  Serapis  "  to 
escape.  The  batteries  of  the  "Bon  Homme  Richard  " 
became  disabled,  until  only  two  nine-pounders  were 
left  which  could  be  used,  but  her  brave  commander 
never  thought  of  surrender. 

With  the  gallant  craft  cut  entirely  to  pieces  between 
decks  from  the  mainmast  to  the  stern,  with  the  rudder 
gone,  with  five  feet  of  water  in  her  hold  and  her  rig- 
ging on  tire  in  several  places,  she  still  fought  valiantly 
on,  in  the  face  of  terrible  odds,  until  the  captain 
of  the  "Serapis"  with  his  own  hand  struck  the 
flag  of  England  to  the  free  Stars  and  Stripes  of  young 
America. 


132       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

The  scene  of  carnage,  wreck  and  ruin  on  board  the 
two  ships  surpassed  all  power  of  description.  Some 
of  the  hand-grenades  thrown  from  the  "  Bon  Homme 
Richard"  fell  among  the  powder  scattered  on  the  deck 
of  the  "  Serapis  "  which  had  been  emptied  from  broken 
cartridges,  and  produced  an  explosion  which  was  de- 
scribed as  awful.  More  than  twenty  of  the  enemy 
were  blown  to  pieces,  and  many  stood  with  only  the 
collars  of  their  shirts  upon  their  bodies.  In  less  than 
an  hour  afterwards,  the  surrender  of  the  "  Serapis " 
took  place.  Captain  Pearson  struck  the  flag  which 
was  nailed  to  the  mast  with  his  own  hand,  because 
none  of  his  men  dared  venture  aloft  on  this  duty. 
Several  times  during  the  conflict  the  flames  on  the 
"Bon  Homme  Richard"  were  within  a  few  inches  of 
the  magazine,  and  the  men  were  frequently  under 
the  necessity  of  suspending  the  combat  in  order  to 
extinguish  the  fire. 

One  of  the  escaped  prisoners  on  board  the  "  Bon 
Homme  Richard "  })assed  through  the  port  to  the 
'^Serapis,"  and  informed  Captain  Pearson  that  if  he 
would  hold  out  a  little  longer  the  American  ship  would 
either  strike  or  sink,  and  that  the  prisoners  had  been 
released  to  save  their  lives.  Of  course  the  "Serapis" 
renewed  the  battle  with  added  ardor  after  receiving 
this  piece  of  intelligence,  but  it  availed  them  nothing. 
The  Chevalier  Paul  was  not  to  be  thus  conquered. 
And  to  him  alone  redounds  all  the  glory  of  this 
brilliant  action. 

The  "Bon  Homme  Richard"  fought  single-handed, 
receiving  no  help  from  the  remaining  vessels  of  the 
squadron.  The  "  Countess  of  Scarborough,"  the  other 
British  ship  of  war  in  company  with  the  "Serapis," 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  133 

was  engaged  by  one  of  Captain  Jones'  fleet,  and  that, 
also,  surrendered. 

*'  From  the  commencement  to  the  termination  of 
the  action  there  was  not  a  man  on  board  the  '  Bon 
Homme  Kichard '  ignorant  of  the  superiority  of  the 
^Serapis/  both  in  weight  of  metal  and  in.  the  qualities 
of  the  crews.  The  crew  of  the  '  Serapis '  were  picked 
seamen,  and  the  shij)  itself  had  been  only  a  few 
months  off  the  stocks;  whereas  the  crew  of  the  ^  Bon 
Homme  Richard'  consisted  of  part  American,  Eng- 
lish and  French,  and  in  part  of  Maltese,  Portuguese 
and  Malays;  these  latter  contributing  by  their  want 
of  naval  skill  and  knowledge  of  the  English  language," 
to  lessen  the  chances  of  success.  Neither  the  consider- 
ation of  the  relative  force  of  the  ships,  nor  the  blow- 
ing-up of  the  gun-deck  above  them,  by  the  bursting 
of  two  of  the  eighteen-pounders,  nor  the  alarm  that 
the  ship  was  sinking,  could  depress  the  ardor  or  change 
the.  determination  of  the  heroic  Captain  Jones  to 
conquer  at  all  hazards.  Once,  during  the  action, 
the  enemy  attenipted  to  board  the  "  Bon  Homme 
Richard,"  but  on  finding  Captain  Jones  in  the  gang- 
way with  a  pike  in  his  hand  ready  to  receive  them, 
they  retreated,  supposing  a  large  force  in  reserve.  It 
was  a  fortunate  mistake  for  the  brave  John  Paul, 
as  the  reserve  force  consisted  entirely  and  only  of 
himself. 

During  this  engagement,  the  heroic  Captain  Jones 
not  only  commanded  the  "Bon  Homme  Richard" 
and  its  men,  directing  the  skilful  strategy  which 
secured  his  splendid  victory,  but  also  worked  as  a 
common  sailor.  AVith  his  own  hands  he  lashed  the 
ships  together,  met  the  enemy  when  they  attempted  to 


134       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

board  his  vessel,  and  worked  the  guns  himself  when 
only  two  remained  that  were  serviceable.  He  did  not 
escape  witliont  wonnds.  It  would  have  been  little  less 
than  a  miracle  otherwise. 

Of  course  this  sea-battle  created  a  vast  excitement 
on  both  continents,  and  the  name  of  Paul  Jones  was 
on  every  tongue.  The  press  of  the  day  overflowed 
with  accounts  of  it,  and  the  chevalier  was  the  hero  of 
the  hour.  The  London  Ghronidej  of  October  seven- 
teenth, 1779,  published  the  following  communication 
from  Amsterdam.     It  is  dated  October  seventh  : 

^'  Last  Tuesday,  Paul  Jones,  with  the  prizes,  the 
'Serapis'  and  '  Scarboro','  entered  the  Texel,  and  this 
day  he  appeared  on  the  Exchange,  where  business  gave 
way  to  curiosity.  The  crowd  })ressing  upon  him  by 
whom  he  was  styled  the  terror  of  the  English,  he 
withdrew  to  a  room  fronting  the  public  square,  where 
Monsieur  Donneville,  the  French  agent,  and  the 
Americans,  paid  him  such  a  volley  of  compliments 
and  such  homage' as  he  could  only  answer  with  a  bow. 
He  was  dressed  in  the  American  uniform,  with  a  Scotch 
bonnet  edged  with  gold,  is  of  a  middling  stature,  stern 
countenance  and  swarthy  complexion.  It  was  sup- 
j)Osed  he  was  going  to  Paris  to  receive  the  congratu- 
lations of  the  Grand  Monarque  and  Dr.  Franklin; 
but  I  am  now  informed  he  is  gone  to  the  Hague,  to 
solicit  by  the  French  ambassador  the  repair  of  his 
shipping,  which,  if  he  should  succeed  in,  he  will  prob- 
ably elude  the  vigilance  of  a  seventy-four  gun-ship 
waiting  before  the  Texel." 

A  story  is  told  of  Captain  Jones,  who  was  in  Paris 
a  short  time  after  this  battle.  He  was  informed  that 
Captain  Pearson,  of  the  "Sera])is,"  had  been  knighted. 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  135 

"  Well/'  said  he,  ^^  he  deserves  it,  and  if  I  fall  in 
with  him  again,  I  will  make  a  lord-of  him." 

The  "Bon  Homme  Richard"  was  so  disabled,  that, 
despite  every  effort  to  to^v  her  into  port,  she  went 
down  on  the  next  day  but  one  after  the  battle. 

In  a  letter  of  Dr.  Franklin  to  Jones,  written  October 
fifteenth,  Xi  reply  to  despatches  from  Jones,  he  says : 

"I  am  uneasy  about  your  prisoners,  five  hundred 
and  four  in  number.  I  wish  they  were  safe  in  France. 
You  will  then  have  completed  the  glorious  work  of 
giving  liberty  to  all  the  Americans  that  have  so  Icmg 
languished  for  it  in  British  prisons."  That  grand 
object  was  at  last  accomplished,  and  the  Chevalier 
Jones  was  the  chief  instrument  in  bringing  it  about. 
On  the  first  of  January,  1780,  he  escaped  from  the 
Texel  road,  where,  for  three  months,  he  had  been 
blockaded  by  the  British  fleets.  Three  days  after- 
wards we  find  him  writing  poetry  to  a  young  lady  at 
the  Hague,  who  had  penned  a  metrical  effusion  to 
the  chevalier.  He  cherished  a  romantic  regard  for 
women,  and  was  ever  the  incarnation  of  gallantry  to 
them. 

During  the  year  1780,  Captain  Jones  was  in  France, 
and  his  correspondence  of  that  time  is  voluminous. 
In  one  of  these  letters  he  says : 

"As  an  American  officer  and  as  a  man  I  affection- 
ately love  and  respect  the  character  and  nation  of 
France,  and  hope  the  alliance  with  America  may 
last  forever.  I  owe  the  greatest  obligation  to  the 
generous  praises  of  the  French  nation  on  my  past  con- 
duct, and  I  shall  be  happy  to  merit  future  favor." 

While    the   chevalier    remained    in    Paris   he   was 

lionized  to  an  unlimited  extent.     Everywhere  he  was 
9 


136       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

greeted  with  the  homage  accorded  a  hero.  Men 
chanted  his  praises.  Women  smiled  upon  him.  Court 
and  community  united  to  do  him  honor.  In  a  brief* 
notice  of  him  published  in  the  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia, 
it  was  said  that  he  spoke  several  European  languages, 
was  a  lover  of  music  and  poetry,  played  on  different 
musical  instruments,  and  used  to  write  verses  for  the 
amusement  of  the  Parisian  ladies.  Of  his  public 
reception  it  was  said  that  he  received  at  Paris  and 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom  the  most  flattering  applause 
and  public  approbation  whenever  he  appeared.  Both 
the  great  and  learned  sought  his  acquaintance  in 
private  life,  and  honored  him  with  particular  marks 
of  friendship.  At  court  he  was  always  received  with 
great  kindness.  His  rank  at  this  time  was  that  of 
commodore,  and  the  French  king  ordered  a  gold  sword 
to  be  presented  him,  and  also  the  cross  of  military 
merit  conferred  only  on  those  who  had  distinguished 
themselves  in  the  service  of  France.  From  Dr. 
Franklin  also  he  received  an  honorable  testimonial 
of  his  bravery  and  conduct. 

On  the  eighteenth  of  February,  1781,  Captain 
Jones  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  having  been  absent 
from  America  three  years  and  three  months.  On  the 
twenty-seventh,  Congress,  at  that  time  assembled  in 
Philadelphia,  passed  resolutions  commending  Captain 
Jones  for  his  distinguished  bravery  and  military  con- 
duct, and  endorsing  the  action  of  the  King  of  France 
in  bestowing  upon  him  the  cross  of  merit. 

The  great  object  of  the  brave  John  Paul  had  been 
to  effect  the  liberty  and  exchange  of  American  citizens 
confined  in  the  dungeons  of  England,  and  this  noble 
purpose,  after  herculean  efforts,  had  been  accom- 
plished. 


JOHN  PAUL  JONES.  137 

Having  won  the  admiration  of  two  continents,  the 
gallant  chevalier  rested  for  a  time  from  his  labors. 
He  afterwards  went  to  Portsmouth  to  take  command 
of  the  "America/^  but  on  arriving  at  that  place  he 
found  tbe  ship  unfinished,  and  was  necessitated  to 
remain  and  superintend  its  construction.  On  his  way 
thither  he  visited  Washington  and  Count  Rochambeau 
at  White  Plains,  wearing  on  that  occasion  his  cross  as 
Chevalier  of  the  Order  of  Merit. 

After  long  delays  the  ^'America"  was  at  last 
launched,  displaying  the  stars  and  stripes  and  the 
flag  of  France  at  her  masthead.  The  chevalier  was 
the  chief  actor  in  the  ceremony  attending  the  launch- 
ing, and  after  the  affair  was  over,  he  delivered  her 
to  the  Chevalier  De  Martigne  and  returned  to  Phila- 
delphia. 

Captain  Jones  afterwards  wrote  to  the  minister  of 
the  marine,  requesting  that,  unless  Congress  had  some 
service  of  greater  consequence  for  him,  he  might  be 
ordered  back  to  Boston  to  embark  as  a  volunteer  in 
pursuit  of  military  marine  knowledge,  to  enable  him 
to  better  serve  his  country  when  America  should 
increase  her  navy. 

The  chevalier  never  married,  notwithstanding  his 
extravagant  admiration  for  women.  Some  of  his 
letters  reveal  the  fact  that  he  sometimes  indulged  in 
dreams  of  domestic  happiness,  which  were  never 
realized. 

He  wrote  to  a  friend  in  the  United  States  just  before 
the  close  of  the  war  that  "if  peace  should  be  concluded 
he  washed  to  establish  himself  on  a  place  of  his  own, 
and  offer  his  hand  to  some  fair  daughter  of  liberty." 
But  this  dream  was  destined  to  remain  only  a  dream. 


138        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

The  chevalier  went  to  Philadelphia  soon  after 
peace  was  restored,  remaining  from  May  until  Novem- 
ber, when  he  again  sailed  for  France.  Meantime,  in 
addition  to  the  gold  sword  and  cross  of  the  French 
King  Louis,  he  had  been  presented  with  a  gold  medal 
from  Congress.  Loaded  with  honors  and  in  the 
height  of  his  popularity  he  went  to  Denmark  and 
Russia,  and  was  received  at  the  royal  courts  of  these 
countries  with  great  distinction.  He  afterwards 
entered  into  the  Russian  service,  and  the  queen  con- 
ferred on  him  the  grade  of  rear  admiral.  In  a  letter 
to  Lafayette  at  this  time,  Jones  said  he  was  detained 
a  fortnight  against  his  will,  and  continually  feasted  in 
court  and  the  first  society.  He  was  lionized  at  St. 
Petersburg  as  he  had  been  at  Paris.  A  St.  Petersburg 
letter  of  this  date  chronicles  his  arrival,  and  says 
that  "  he  was  presented  to  the  sovereign  by  the  French 
ambassador,  and  immediately  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
admiral.  He  is  to  take  command  of  a  squadron  in 
the  Black  Sea.  .  .  .  He  wears  the  French  uniform 
with  the  cross  of  St.  Louis,  and  a  Danish  order  which 
he  received  at  Copenhagen,  where  he  had  the  honor 
to  dine  with  the  king.  He  has  also  received  since  he 
came  here  one  of  the  first  orders  of  merit  in  this 
country."  His  visit  to  the  court  of  Denmark  was  of 
a  political  nature. 

During  all  these  years  of  adventure  and  daring 
service  on  the  high  seas,  he  kept  a  detailed  account  of 
his  doings  in  an  elegantly  bound  journal.  At  last  we 
find  him  again  in  Paris,  where  on  the  eighteenth  of 
July,  1792,  he  died  of  dropsy.  His  health  had  been 
gradually  failing  for  a  long  time  previous,  and  at 
length  his  heroic  soul  passed  to  the  spirit  land.     He 


JOH^  PAUL  JONES.  139 

was  surrounded  by  friends  to  the  end.  His  funeral 
discourse  was  pronounced  by  Mr.  Marron,  a  Protestant 
clergym^  of  the  city  which  had  heaped  upon  him 
such  honors. 

Noble  in  his  courage,  princely  in  his  liberality,  and 
grandest  of  all  in  his  tender  humanity,  Paul  Jones 
was  every  inch  a  hero.  The  beloved  flag  of  America 
had  no  braver  defender  during  the  long  struggle  for 
independence  in  the  days  of  the  Revolution,  nor  had 
liberty  a  more  ardent  lover.  He  was  the  champion 
of  justice  and  right  the  world  over,  but  America  was 
the  country  of  his  affections.  His  chiefest  glory  as  he 
often  declared  was  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
THADDBUS  KOSCIUSZKO. 

Early  History  of  Kosciuszko. — Education  in  the  Art  of  War. — An 
Affair  of  the  Heart. — Exile. — Position  on  Washington's  Staff'. — 
Siege  of  Ninety-Six. — Service  in  Poland. — Dictator  and  General- 
issimo.— Battle  of  Raczlawice. — Victory  Followed  by  Defeat. — 
Decisive  Battle  of  Maciejowice. — Overwhelmed  by  Superior 
Numbers. — "Finis  Polonse!" — Imprisonment. —  Freedom  Re- 
gained.— Retirement  at  Fontainebleau. — The  Fall  from  the  Preci- 
pice.— Closing  Scenes. 

DURING  the  struggle  of  the  infant  colonies  for 
liberty  in  the  days  of  the  Revolution,  the  young 
Polish  nobleman,  Thaddeus  Kosciuszko,  was  an  acces- 
sion of  value  to  our  army  and  to  the  staff  of  Wash- 
ington. He  was  born  February  twelfth,  1756,  and 
was  educated  in  the  military  school  at  Warsaw.  His 
family  was  both  ancient  and  noble,  and  he  proved  him- 
self a  worthy  scion  of  so  honorable  a  house. 

At  an  early  age  he  seems  to  have  enlisted  the  sym- 
pathies of  one  of  the  princes  of  the  reigning  house, 
who  conferred  on  him  the  rank  of  lieutenant  of  cadets 
and  sent  him  to  France  to  further  his  military  educa- 
tion. On  his  return  to  his  native  country  he  received 
a  captaincy  and  was  on  the  high  road  to  promotion, 
when  an  unhappy  affair  of  the  heart  put  an  end  to  his 
fair  prospects.  He  dared  to  cherish  a  love  for  a  lady 
whom  Prince  Lubomirski  also  loved,  and  this  was 
his  offence.  For  such  a  piece  of  presumption  he  was 
obliged  to  fly  from  his  native  land,  and  on  the  arena  of 
(140) 


THADDEVS  KOSCIUSZKO.  141 

the  New  World,  where  liberty  was  struggling  for  an 
existence,  he  sought  a  field  for  action.  Here  he  won 
the  lasting  renown  which  is  always  accorded  noble 
daring.  But  change  of  scene  did  not  quench  the  ardor 
of  his  attachment.  With  beautiful  fidelity,  through 
all  the  eventful  years  of  his  life,  he  remained  true  to 
the  lady  for  whose  sake  he  had  suffered  banishment. 
No  other  woman  ever  took  her  place.  He  came  to 
America  with  the  highest  credentials  and  offered  his 
life  and  services  in  the  cause  of  liberty.  Washington, 
with  keen  appreciation,  gave  him  the  position  of  aid  on 
his  staff  and  Kosciuszko  did  honor  to  the  choice.  His 
conduct  in  the  many  engagements  in  which  he  partici- 
pated was  always  distinguished  by  a  spirited  bravery. 
He  received  the  rank  of  brigadier,  and  was  on  duty  as 
principal  engineer  of  the  army.  At  the  siege  of  Ninety- 
six  all  the  approaches  and  besieging  operations  were 
planned  by  him.  He  behaved  with  cool  indifference 
under  fire,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  left  America  for 
Europe  with  the  rank  of  general  and  as  a  member  of 
the  American  order  of  Cincinnati. 

In  1786,  he  returned  to  his  native  land,  and  the  next 
year  received  the  appointment  of  major-general.  In 
1791,  he  went  into  service  under  Prince  Joseph  Ponia- 
towski,  and  at  the  battle  of  Dubienka  repulsed  a  force 
of  eighteen  thousand  Russians  with  less  than  a  quarter 
of  that  number. 

When  Poland  yielded  allegiance  to  Catherine  of 
Russia,  Kosciuszko  left  the  army  and  went  to  Leipsic, 
where  he  became  a  naturalized  citizen  of  France.  But 
the  Poles  did  not  easily  submit  to  the  domination  of  a 
foreign  power,  and  rebellion  and  war  were  again  inau- 
gurated.    When  the  liberties  of  his  country  stood  im- 


142  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

perilled,  Kosciuszko  could  not  longer  remain  away,  and 
went  to  Cracow  to  draw  his  sword  in  her  behalf.  The 
crisis  found  him  ready  to  meet  it,  and  on  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  March,  1794,  he  was  proclaimed  Dictator  and 
Generalissimo.  His  rule  began  with  victory.  The 
Russians  were  driven  from  Cracow,  and  the  constitution 
of  the  Polish  people  was  restored. 

On  April  fourth,  the  battle  of  Raczlawice  was  fojLight; 
and  Kosciuszko,  at  the  head  of  four  thousand  men,  met 
and  repulsed  twelve  thousand  Russians.  The  conflict 
was  desperate  and  bloody,  and  three  thousand  of  the 
enemy's  dead  were  left  upon  the  field.  The  Polish 
patriots  were  encouraged,  and  Poland  once  more  stood 
upright  with  the  shackles  of  slavery  shaken  from  her 
feet.  Law  and  order  were  again  restored,  and  Kosci- 
uszko was  on  the  pirmacle  of  fame  and  greatness.  Up 
to  this  time  his  course  had  been  marked  by  nothing 
but  victory^  but  the  shadow  of  defeat  was  yet  to  fall 
uix)n  his  future.  The  patriot  band  he  had  gathered 
around  him  was  confronted  by  the  combined  armies  of 
Russia  and  Prussia,  and  after  bravely  contesting  the 
ground  he  was  obliged  to  retire  to  his  defences  before 
Warsaw.  Cracow  fell  and  Warsaw  was  besieged  by 
sixty  thousand  men.  Two  months  of  daily  battle  at 
last  brought  on  a  general  assault,  and  the  allied  armies 
were  ingloriously  defeated  by  a  force  of  only  ten  thou- 
sand men.  The  siege  was  raised,  and  on  the  bright 
banner  of  fame  the  name  of  Kosciuszko  was  immor- 
talized forever.  "With  an  army  of  but  twenty  thou- 
sand regular  troops  and  twice  that  number  of  peas- 
ants he  had  maintained  himself  successfully  through 
the  canip:ii<i:n  against  four  hostile  armies,  numbering 
altogether  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men."    The 


THADDEUS  KOSCWSZKO  143 

hearts  of  the  people  were  with  him  and  he  belonged 
most  truly  to  the  people.  With  no  other  object  in  life, 
he  lived  only  for  his  country.  Order  and  peace  Avere 
restored  for  the  time,  and  Kosciuszko  gave  back  to 
the  national  council  the  power  delegated  to  him  as 
Dictator. 

But  the  invaders,  confident  in  the  ultimate  success 
of  their  overwhelming  numbers,  renewed  the  conflict 
with  an  army  of  over  sixty  thousand.  Kosciuszko 
had  only  twenty-one  thousand.  The  battle-ground 
was  at  a  place  named  Maciejowice,  about  fifty  miles 
from  Warsaw,  and  it  occurred  on  October  tenth,  1794. 
The  fight  was  desperate.  Three  violent  assaults  were 
made  on  the  Polish  lines  without  effect,  but  at  the 
fourth  charge  the  patriot  ranks  gave  way  and  the  brave 
and  valiant  and  noble  Kosciuszko  fell  from  his  horse, 
pierced  with  wounds. 

*'This  is  the  last  of  Poland!"  he  exclaimed,  as  he 
was  borne  a  prisoner  to  the  enemy's  camp.  His  words 
bore  the  spell  of  prophecy,  and  Poland  was  indeed 
lost  to  him  and  his  countrymen  as  an  independent 
nation. 

The  successor  of  Catherine  of  Eussia  liberated  the 
captives  whom  she  had  imprisoned,  and  Kosciuszko 
leceived  many  marks  of  favor  and  esteem.  The  em- 
l)eror  even  presented  his  sword  to  the  Polish  chieftain 
— an  honor  which  Kosciuszko  declined,  saying  that 
*'he  who  no  longer  had  a  country,  no  longer  had  need 
of  a  weapon."  Other  gifts  were  offered  him  by  the 
emperor,  but  Kosciuszko  declined  them  all.  He  agaiii 
visited  France  and  England — last  of  all  America.  In 
this  country  he  was  received  with  the  honor  due  to  one 
of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution  and  the  bosom-friend 


144       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

of  Washington.  In  1798,  he  again  went  to  France 
from  America.  His  countrymen  in  the  army  of  Na- 
poleon presented  him  with  the  sword  of  John  Sobieski, 
and  Napoleo-n  endeavored  to  interest  him  in  his  own 
ambitious  schemes  by  promises  of  freedom  for  Poland. 
But  he  was  not  to  be  deceived  by  such  illusive  hopes. 
Never  afterwards  did  he  wear  a  sword.  He  bought 
an  estate  near  Fontainebleau,  and  lived  in  seclusion  for 
many  years.  In  1814,  he  made  an  appeal  to  the  Em- 
peror Alexander  to  give  a  free  constitution  to  Poland 
and  to  grant  amnesty  to  his  countrymen  in  foreign 
lands.  The  next  year  he  travelled  in  Italy,  and  the 
year  after  settled  at  Soleur,  Switzerland.  Here  he 
lived  in  quiet  retirement  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  on  October  sixteenth,  1817.  This  event  was 
brought  about  by  a  fall  from  his  horse  over  a  precipice 
near  Yevay.  In  1818,  his  body  was  deposited  ifi  the 
tombs  of  the  kings  at  Cracow,  at  the  request  of  the 
Senate. 

Thus  passed  into  death's  dark  eclipse  one  of  the 
bravest  spirits  that  ever  suffered  exile  and  martyrdom 
for  liberty.  Personal  ambition  and  selfish  indulgence 
were  alike  forgotten  in  a  grand  and  absorbing  love  for 
country,  and  through  all  time  the  name  of  this  noble 
patriot  will  shine  bright  and  clear  on  the  world's  roll 
of  honor. 


CHAPTER  X. 
HUGH    MERCER. 

The  Moors  of  Culloden. — The  Assistant-Surgeon  of  the  Highland 
Army. — Emigration  to  Pennsylvania. — Indian  Wars. — Wounded 
and  Alone. — Outbreak  of  the  Kevolution. — The  Fredericksburg 
Home. — Farewells. — Days  of  '76. — First  Campaign. — A  Gloomy 
Time. — Influence  of  Washington. — Across  the  Delaware. — Affairs 
in  Philadelphia. — Putnam's  Order. — Hasty  Adjournment  of  Con- 
gress.— Change  of  Policy. — Attack  on  Trenton. — Victory. — The 
Night  March  on  Princeton. — Desperate  Fighting. — Ten  to  One. — 
Mercer  Mortally  Wounded. — The  Farm-House  Scene. — Last 
Moments. — Victory  and  Death. 

HUGH  MERCER  first  appears  among  the  dra- 
matis personse  of  history,  fighting  under  the 
standard  of  the  Scottish  prince,  Charles  Edward,  on 
the  moors  of  Culloden.  Colonel  Wolfe,  of  Quebec 
fame,  fought  in  the  English  ranks  against  him,  and 
Eraser,  afterwards  major-general,  was  also  there.  The 
bloody  defeat  of  that  day,  April  sixteenth,  1746,  is 
known  to  history.  Of  the  exiled  prince  and  his  band 
of  devoted  followers,  it  concerns  us  to  trace  the  career 
of  only  one  of  them,  the  young  assistant-surgeon  of 
the  Highland  army,  who  afterwards  crossed  the  ocean 
and  identified  himself  with  the  patriot  ranks  struggling 
for  liberty.  After  emigrating  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
making  a  home  on  what  was  then  the  lonely,  western 
frontier,  he  became  captain  in  the  Provincial  army  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  Indian  wars  of  1755.  He  fought 
under  the  leadership  of  that  brave  old  Scotch  Cove- 
nanter, Colonel  John  Armstrong,  whose  son  afterwards 

(145) 


146       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

bore  him  mortally  hurt  from  the  battle-field  of  Prince- 
ton. At  the  assault  on  Kittanning,  an  Indian  strong- 
hold, which  was  successfully  carried,  Mercer  received  a 
severe  wound,  and  in  the  confusion  of  the  fight,  got 
separated  from  his  company  and  was  reported  '^  miss- 
ing/^ Alone,  with  his  shattered  arm,  he  wandered 
through  the  forest  for  weeks,  living  on  roots  and 
berries,  until  at  last  he  reached  Fort  Cumberland 
exhausted. 

In  1758,  Mercer,  as  lieutenant-colonel,  was  left  in 
charge  of  Fort  Du  Quesne,  after  its  reduction  by  the 
army  of  General  Forbes,  a  post  which  it  was  con- 
sidered important  to  hold.  During  this  time  he  be- 
came acquainted  with  young  Colonel  Washington, 
from  Virginia,  and  a  warm  friendship  sprang  up 
between  them. 

During  the  succeeding  contest  for  colonial  inde- 
pendence, Hugh  Mercer  was  foremost  among  the  de- 
fenders of  American  rights.  A  few  months  after 
George  Washington  was  chosen  commander-in-chief 
of  our  armies,  Mercer  was  honored  by  Congress  with 
a  commission  as  brigadier-general.  Soon  afterwards 
he  left  his  home  in  Fredericksburg,  Virginia,  and 
joined  the  Continental  forces  at  New  York.  The 
farewells  uttered  at  this  time  to  his  wife  and  little  ones 
were  final  farewells,  though  he  knew  it  not.  He  never 
again  returned  to  the  Virginia  home  where  he  had 
planted  his  roof-tree.  His  life  had  been  risked  for  the 
defence  of  the  country  of  his  adoption,  and  the  noble 
sacrifice  was  made  on  the  field  of  Princeton. 

General  Mercer's  first  campaign  was  crowded  with 
events  which  were  of  vital  interest  to  the  country. 
'^  The  battle  on  Long  Island,  the  retreat  to  New  York, 


HUGH  MERCER,  147 

the  evacuation  of  that  city  contrary  to  the  advice  of 
Mercer,  who  was  perhaps  wisely  overruled,  and  of 
Greene,  whose  bold  counsel  it  was  to  burn  the  city  to 
the  ground,  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  the  fall  of  Fort 
Washington,  the  projected  attack  on  Staten  Island  con-^ 
fided  to  Mercer,  and  the  retreat  through  New  Jersey, 
were  the  prominent  incidents  of  this  eventful  period. 
Throughout  it  all,  Mercer  was  in  active  service  under 
the  immediate  orders  of  the  commander-in-chief,  to 
whose  affections  he  was  closely  endeared/' 

In  the  early  part  of  December,  1776,  the  banks  of 
the  Delaware  were  reached  by  our  dispirited  army, 
pursued  by  the  well-regulated  troops  of  the  British. 
A  cloud  of  gloom  seemed  to  hover  over  the  country 
which  pervaded  alike  the  army  and  Congress,  then  on 
the  point  of  leaving  Philadelphia  for  a  safer  retreat  at 
Baltimore.  This  was  the  darkest  period  of  the  Revo- 
lution, and  the  influence  of  Washington,  at  this  time, 
is  said  to  have  been  sublimely  felt.  He  was  a  pillar 
of  flame  by  night,  and  a  pillar  of  cloud  by  day,  to  the 
desponding  hopes  of  the  patriot  army,  and  the  anxious, 
waiting  hearts  at  home.  Calmly  resolute,  he  w^ent 
forward.  Congress  having  put  upon  him  the  entire 
responsibility  of  the  issue  at  stake.  The  trust  was 
grandly  executed,  as  history  knows,  and  Fame,  in 
gratitude,  encircled  his  brow  with  her  purest  rays  of 
light. 

In  a  letter  written  by  Washington,  General  Lee,  at 
Basken  Ridge,  was  implored  to  come  at  once,  and 
unite  his  forces  with  the  main  army,  but  just  as  the 
letter  reached  him,  Lee  was  made  a  prisoner  by  a  party 
of  British  dragoons,  and  that  hope  was  cut  off.  With 
large  bodies  of  Hessian  and  British   troops  within  a 


148       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

few  miles  of  Philadelphia,  and  with  a  British  frigate 
and  sloop  of  war  lying  at  anchor  in  the  Delaware,  the 
state  of  affairs  in  the  Quaker  city  may  be  imagined. 
The  effect  is  described  by  one  who  witnessed  it  at  the 
time.  "It  was  just  dark,"  he  says,  *' when  we  entered 
Front  street,  and  it  appeared  as  if  we  were  riding 
through  a  city  of  the  dead.  Such  was  the  silence  and 
stillness  which  prevailed  that  the  dropping  of  a  stone 
would  have  been  heard  for  several  squares,  and  the 
hoofs  of  our  horses  resounded  in  all  directions."  But 
General  Putnam,  the  lion-hearted  Richard  of  our 
Revolution,  held  the  command  of  the  city,  and  that  of 
itself  was  an  element  of  success.  The  following  order, 
issued  by  him,  vividly  portrays  the  unsettled  and 
threatening  state  of  affairs  at  the  time : 

"The  late  advances  of  the  enemy  oblige  the  general 
to  request  the  inhabitants  of  this  city  not  to  appear  in 
the  streets  after  ten  o'clock  at  night,  as  he  has  given 
orders  to  the  picket-guard  to  arrest  and  confine  all 
persons  who  may  be  found  in  the  streets  after  that 
hour.  Physicians  and  others,  having  essential  business 
after  that  hour,  are  directed  to  call  at  head-quarters  for 
passes. 

"  The  general  has  been  informed  that  some  weak  or 
wicked  men  have  maliciously  reported  that  it  is  the 
design  and  wish  of  the  officers  and  men  in  the  Con- 
tinental army  to  burn  and  destroy  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia. To  counteract  such  a  false  and  scandalous 
report,  he  thinks  it  necessary  to  inform  the  inhabitants 
who  propose  to  remain  in  the  city,  that  he  has  received 
positive  orders  from  the  honorable  Continental  Con- 
gress, and  from  his  excellency,  General  Washington,  to 
secure  and  protect  the  city  of  Philadelphia  against  all 


HUGH  MERCEB.  149 

invaders  and  enemies.  The  general  will  consider  any 
attempt  to  burn  the  city  as  a  crime  of  the  blackest 
dye,  and  will,  without  ceremony,  punish  capitally  an^ 
incendiary  who  shall  have  the  hardiness  and  cru- 
elty to  attempt  it.  The  general  commands  all  able- 
bodied  men  who  are  not  conscientiously  scrupulous 
about  bearing  arms,  and  who  have  not  been  known 
heretofore  to  have  entertained  such  scruples,  to  appear 
in  the  State  House  yard,  at  ten  o'clock,  with  their 
arms  and  accoutrements.  This  order  must  be  complied 
with,  the  general  being  resolutely  determined  that  no 
person  shall  remain  in  the  city  an  idle  spectator  of  the 
present  contest  who  has  it  in  his  power  to  injure  the 
American  cause,  or  who  may  refuse  to  lend  his  aid  in 
support  of  it;  persons  under  conscientious  scruples 
alone  excepted." 

On  the  eleventh  of  December,  Congress  passec-  a 
resolution  denouncing  a  current  rumor  that  they  in- 
tended to  leave  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  very  next 
day  they  hastily  adjourned  to  Baltimore,  leaving 
Washington  with  carte-hlanche  orders  as  to  the  con- 
duct of  the  war.  But  his  faith  in  the  right  and  in  th^ 
belief  that  liberty  would  triumph,  remained  unshaken, 
though  the  means  of  attaining  this  end  seemed  shrouded 
in  gloom.  At  this  crisis  a  suggestion  was  made  to 
change  the  war  policy  from  defensive  to  oifensive 
operations,  and  attack  the  enemy's  outposts  through 
New  Jersey.  General  Mercer  seems  to  have  been 
among  the  first  to  propose  this  offensive  movement, 
and  it  was  decided  between  himself  and  his  aid.  Mayor 
Armstrong,  to  speak  of  the  subject  in  turn  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief. The  suggestion  met  with  the  cordial 
support  of  such  men  as  Greene,  among  others  of  Wash- 


150       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

ington's  most  valued  advisers,  and  a  plan  of  attack  on 
Trenton  was  quickly  arranged.  The  troops  were  to 
cross  the  Delaware  in  two  places,  and  attack  the  enemy 
from  two  points  at  once.  With  Washington's  small 
and  illy-equipped  force  the  move  was  a  desperate  one, 
and  the  fate  of  a  nation  trembled  on  the  issue.  *'  For 
God's  sake,  hurry  on  the  clothing  to  my  suffering 
men,"  he  wrote  to  Robert  Morris,  two  days  previous 
to  the  attack.  "  Leave  no  arms  or  valuable  papers 
in  the  city,  for  sure  I  am  that  the  enemy  wait  for 
two  events  alone  to  begin  their  operations  on  Phila- 
delphia— ice  for  a  passage  over  the  Delaware,  and 
the  dissolution  of  the  poor  remains  of  my  debilitated 
army." 

In  the  winter  darkness  of  that  Christmas  night,  an 
hour  before  dawn,  the  momentous  attack  was  made, 
and  the  tide  of  reverse  and  disaster  was  turned  by 
the  splendid  victory  which  followed.  Mercer  led 
the  column  of  attack  on  the  main  street  coming  in 
from  Princeton,  and  effectually  cut  off  the  enemy's 
retreat. 

After  this  glorious  achievement  the  American  forces 
recrossed  the  Delaware  and  waited  until  the  last  of  the 
month  before  resuming  offensive  operations.  On  the 
night  of  January  second,  1777,  the  patriot  camp  in 
New  Jersey  held  a  council  of  war,  at  which  Mercer 
proposed  the  bold  idea  of  a  night  attack  on  Princeton, 
for  the  purpose  of  capturing  two  regiments  of  the 
enemy  stationed  at  that  point,  and  then  continuing  the 
advance  to  Brunswick  to  destroy  the  magazines  there. 
The  proposition  was  at  once  agreed  to  by  all  present, 
and  before  dawn  the  movement  was  put  into  execu- 
tion.    They  had  pitched  their  tents  that  night  not  far 


HUGH  MERCER.  151 

from  the  British  camp — a  small  stream  flowing  between 
the  two  hostile  armies. 

An  attack  was  to  have  been  made  on  the  Americans 
next  morning,  by  the  enemy,  but  Lord  Cornwallis  woke 
to  find  his  intended  victims  flown.  The  thunder  of  the 
guns  at  Princeton,  heard  in  the  distance,  first  announced 
to  him  the  fact  that  the  foe  no  longer  confronted  him, 
and  that  the  British  forces  at  Princeton  were  being 
attacked. 

Mercer,  at  the  head  of  his  brigade,  threw  himself 
between  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  and  their  reserves, 
thus  precipitating  a  general  action.  Colonel  Hazlet 
fell,  mortally  hurt,  and  Mercer's  horse  was  shot  under 
him.  Disdaining  to  fly  or  to  surrender  in  the  con- 
fusion which  this  occasioned,  he  fought  dismounted 
single-handed  and  alone  against  the  on-rushing  hordes 
of  the  enemy.  But  the  terrible  odds  were  too  great 
and  he  was  trampled  to  the  earth,  pierced  by  the 
bayonets  of  overwhelming  numbers.  The  struggle 
was  sharp  and  bloody,  the  victory  glorious,  but  what 
brave  blood  consecrated  the  sacrifice !  What  heroic 
lives  went  out  that  liberty  might  live! 

Major  Armstrong  found  his  general  lying  insensible 
on  the  field  and  carried  him  to  a  neighboring  farm- 
house, where  he  lingered  a  few  days  in  mortal  agony 
before  the  expiring  flame  of  life  went  out.  He  died 
in  the  arms  of  Major  George  Lewis — a  nephew  of 
Washington — with  a  prayer  on  his  lips  for  his  father- 
less family  and  his  suflering  country. 

This  last  sad  scene  in  the  drama  of  Hugh  Mercer's 

life  was  not  unrelieved    by  the  presence  of  woman. 

The  two  who  lived  under  that  humble  roof  did  not  fly 

from  the  rain  of  leaden  death  which  fell  around  them, 

10 


152       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

while  the  duty  of  watching  by  the  bedside  of  this 
dying  soldier  claimed  their  service.  As  woman  alone 
could,  they  soothed  his  last  moments,  and  their  tears 
fell  over  his  pallid  form  as  the  sjiirit  took  its  final 
flight.  Let  us  draw  the  curtain  gently  over  this 
sorrowful  picture,  and  stand  with  hushed  pulses  in  the 
presence  of  the  memory  of  this  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, who  died  in  defence  of  liberty. 


CHAPTER   XI. 
ANTHONY  W^AYNE. 

Birth  and  Ancestry. — Youthful  Bent  Towards  Military  Studies. — 
Marriage. — Beginning  of  Public  Life. — In  the  Legislature. — 
Commissioned  as  Colonel. — Expedition  to  Canada. — At  Brandy- 
Avine. — Engagement  of  Germantown. — Service  at  Valley  Forge. — 
Monmouth. — Storming  of  Stony  Point. — Splendid  Victory. — 
Kevolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line. — Investment  of  Yorktown. — 
War  with  the  Indians. — Peace  Commissioner. — Death  at  Presque 
Isle. — Monument  of  the  Cincinnati. 

ANTHONY  WAYNE  was  a  son  of  Pennsylvania, 
of  whom  that  State  is  justly  proud  and  whose 
glorious  career  adds  a  lustre  to  her  history.  He  and 
the  new  year  of  1745  were  born  together,  and  he  proved 
to  be  a  valuable  New  Year's  gift  to  the  young  Ameri- 
can nation  which  afterwards  emerged  from  the  dark- 
ness of  servile  subjection  to  the  English  crown,  into 
the  light  of  independence.  His  father  belonged  to 
Erin's  green  isle — the  land  of  poetry  and  song,  of  gen- 
erous impulses  and  Irish  wit,  the  land  of  Moore  and 
Emmet. 

As  a  boy,  young  Wayne  is  said  to  have  displayed  a 
taste  for  military  studies.  '  The  Kevolution  gave  this 
faculty  its  direction.  Otherwise,  perhaps,  he  might 
never  have  been  known  to  the  world  or  to  these  pages. 
But  when  a  great  crisis  convulses  a  nation,  the  leading 
spirits  rise  to  the  top  of  the  tide  of  events  and  take 
their  places.  Anthony  Wayne  was  one  of  these.  His 
boyhood,  uneventful,  save  in  the  routine  of  daily  toil, 

(153) 


154       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

merged  slowly  into  manhood,  and  at  twenty-two  he  was 
married.  This  was  in  1767,  and  for  the  succeeding 
two  years  he  was  occupied  as  a  farmer  and  land-sur- 
veyor in  his  native  county  of  Chester.  In  1774,  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature, 
and  in  1775,  was  on  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety. 
He  now  began  a  course  of  military  study  in  anticipa- 
tion of  approaching  events,  and  in  September  resigned 
his  seat  in  the  Legislature  to  raise  a  regiment  of  volun- 
teers. On  January  third,  1776,  he  received  from  Con- 
gress the  commission  of  colonel,  and  at  the  beginning 
of  the  campaign  of  that  year  was  ordered  to  the  field 
of  operations  in  New  York  and  Canada.  His  regi- 
ment was  with  General  Sullivan  at  the  defeat  of  Three 
Rivers,  in  Canada,  and  during  the  well-ordered  retreat 
which  he  conducted  at  that  place,  he  received  his  first 
wound  in  the  cause  of  freedom. 

From  Canada  he  went  to  take  charge  of  Fort  Ticon- 
deroga  for  a  time,  and  afterwards,  in  May,  1777,  joined 
the  army  of  Washington  in  New  Jersey.  In  February 
previous.  Congress  had  conferred  on  him  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general,  and  the  commander-in-chief  had 
also  testified  to  his  distinguished  bravery  and  skill. 

At  the  famous  battle  of  Brandy  wine,  the  brigade  of 
Wayne  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  on  the  field 
and  covered  itself  with  glory  and  fame. 

At  Germantown  he  was  in  command  of  one  of  the 
divisions  on  the  right,  taking  the  Chestnut-Hill  road. 
They  advanced  with  fixed  bayonets  and  the  action  soon 
became  general.  Every  student  of  history  knows  the 
unhappy  termination  of  this  action  and  the  lamentable 
mistakes  caused  by  the  fog  of  that  October  morning. 
The  roan  horse  of  General  Wayne  was  shot  dead  under 


ANTHONY   WAYNE.  155 

him  within  a  few  yards  of  the  enemy's  front,  and  him- 
self received  several  slight  wounds.  In  a  letter  written 
at  the  time  concerning  the  engagement  he  says : 

"Upon  the  whole,  it  was  a  glorious  day.  Our  men 
are  in  high  spirits,  and  I  am  confident  we  shall  give 
them  a  total  defeat  the  next  action,  which  is  at  no  great 
distance.'' 

In  this  battle  General  Wayne  covered  the  retreat  of 
the  American  army,  compelling  the  enemy  to  give  up 
pursuit  -by  the  very  effective  fire  of  a  battery  planted 
on  an  eminence  which  commanded  their  line  of  ad- 
vance. 

During  the  severe  winter  at  Valley  Forge  in  1777, 
when  the  patriot  ranks  were  suffering  from  want  of 
proper  clothing  and  food,  General  \yayne  was  ap- 
pointed commander  of  a  foraging  expedition,  whose 
efforts  were  soon  apparent  in  hundreds  of  fat  cattle, 
horses  and  rations.  It  was  a  grateful  relief  to  the 
starved  and  shivering  army  in  their  huts  at  Valley 
Forge,  and  furnished  the  solution  to  a  most  important 
problem. 

Of  General  Wayne's  part  in  the  battle  of  Monmouth, 
Washington,  in  his  official  report  to  Congress,  says : 
"  The  catalogue  of  those  w^ho  distinguished  themselves 
is  too  long  to  admit  of  particularizing  individuals.  I 
cannot,  however,  forbear  to  mention  Brigadier-General 
Wayne,  whose  good  conduct  and  bravery  throughout 
the  action  deserves  particular  commendation." 

At  the  storming  of  Stony  Point,  Wayne  especially 
distinguished  himself.  This  bold  and  brilliant  enter- 
prise— one  of  the  most  hazardous  of  the  Revolution — 
was  confided  entirely  to  the  generalship  of  the  brave 
Pennsylvanian,   and    the   trust   was    nobly   executed. 


156  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Stony  Point  was  a  strongly  fortified  post  on  the  Hud- 
son River,  commanding  King's  Ferry,  the  principal 
avenue  of  communication  between  the  Eastern  and 
Middle  States.  Through  this  point  the  enemy  could 
easily  strike  the  Highlands,  should  that  be  desired,  and 
it  was  therefore  of  great  strategic  importance.  Sur- 
rounded by  the  river  on  two  sides  and  a  deep  morass 
on  the  third;  it  was  made  still  more  difficult  of  access 
by  two  rows  of  abatis  besides  the  usual  breastworks 
and  artillery,  covering  the  summit  of  the  hill.  It  was 
garrisoned  by  six  hundred  men  under  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Johnson,  and  was  regarded  as  impregnable. 

General  Wayne  set  himself  to  the  task  of  taking 
this  nearly  inaccessible  post,  with  undaunted  courage. 
His  troops  started  from  Sandy  Beach,  fourteen  miles 
away,  on  July  fifteenth,  1779,  and  reached  the  vicinity 
of  the  fort  in  the  evening  of  that  day.  As  they  came 
up  they  were  formed  into  two  columns,  headed  by  a 
forlorn  hope  of  twenty  men  each,  under  Lieutenant 
Gibbon  of  the  sixth,  and  Lieutenant  Knox  of  the  ninth 
Pennsylvania  regiments.  At  twenty  minutes  after 
midnight  the  assault  was  made.  The  advance  guard 
rushed  forward  up  the  hill  with  bristling  bayonets,  un- 
deterred by  a  galling  fire  of  grape  and  musketry  Avhich 
was  poured  into  their  ranks  from  the  enemy.  But  they 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  crest  despite  the  formidable 
array  of  obstructions  placed  in  their  way,  and  the  two 
columns  met  in  the  centre  of  the  works.  It  was  a 
splendid  victory,  eliciting  the  thanks  of  Congress  and 
the  praise  of  the  people. 

The  attacking  party  lost  only  about  one  hundred 
men  in  the  assault,  including  killed  and  wounded. 
During  the  action  General  Wayne  fell  to  the  earth, 


ANTHONY   WAYNE.  157 

stunned  by  a  wound  in  the  head,  but  speedily  recover- 
ing, he  led  his  troops  into  the  fort.  Letters  of  con- 
gratulation were  received  by  him  from  civilians  and 
army  officers  alike,  and  his  name  was  on  the  lips  of  the 
people  as  one  of  its  saviors. 

When  the  "Pennsylvania  Line"  came  back  to  duty 
after  their  unhappy  revolt,  they  put  themselves  under 
General  Wayne's  command,  and  offered  to  repel  the 
troops  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  which  had  been  sent  out 
to  give  them  the  assistance  they  had  demanded  of  their 
own  country.  They  had  suffered  wrongs  which  were 
unredressed,  but  it  was  not  their  patriotism  that  gave 
way  in  this  stress  of  events,  as  the  sequel  proved. 
When  their  country's  enemy  offered  them  all  they 
asked  if  they  would  come  over  to  him,  the  proposi- 
tion was  indignantly  repelled ;  and  then  it  was  that 
the  old  Pennsylvania  Line  put  itself  under  the  leader- 
ship of  its  beloved  general,  to  drive  out  the  troops  of 
Clinton,  who  had  been  sent  to  receive  them.  Congress 
at  last  listened  to  their  complaints,  and  by  according 
them  the  long-delayed  justice  they  sought,  put  an  end 
to  the  unhappy  mutiny. 

At  the  investment  and  capture  of  Yorktown,  Gen- 
eral Wayne  was  actively  engaged — the  attacks  of  his 
brave  troops  contributing  effectively  to  the  work. 
Afterwards  he  was  sent  to  the  aid  of  General  Greene, 
in  Georgia,  where  his  services  were  of  the  most  im- 
portant character.  "He  brought  back  to  their  alle- 
giance many  of  the  disaffected,  made  Whigs  of  Tories, 
and  contrived  to  produce  a  spirit  of  discontent,  which 
extended  to  the  British  army  itself.''  He  defeated  the 
efforts  of  the  British  general  to  use  Indian  troops 
against  him — capturing  and  repulsing  large  bodies  of 


158  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

Creek  and  Choctaw  warriors,  on  their  way  to  join  the 
enemy.  Their  savage  leader  was  slain  and  the  force 
dispersed. 

Charlestown  was  evacuated  by  the  British  and  taken 
possession  of  by  Wayne  on  December  fourteenth, 
1782,  and  this  was  his  last  military  service  in  the 
Revolution.  In  July  of  1783,  he  returned  to  civil 
life  in  his  native  State.  The  next  year  he  was  elected 
to  the  General  Assembly  from  Chester  county,  and 
served  two  sessions.  But  General  Wayne's  military 
life  was  not  yet  at  an  end.  In  the  Indian  war  which 
followed  the  war  for  Independence,  he  was  appointed 
by  Washington  to  the  command  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States,  and  executed  his  high  trust  with  such 
masterly  skill  that  the  contest  was  concluded  by  the 
Treaty  of  Greeueville,  and  a  long  peace  with  the  red 
men  of  America  ensued. 

General  Wayne  was  afterwards  appointed  commis- 
sioner to  treat  with  the  Indians  of  the  north-west,  and 
while  on  his  way  down  Lake  Erie  from  Detroit,  died 
from  an  attack  of  gout.  The  melancholy  event  took 
place  at  Presque  Isle,  December  fifteenth,  1796.  He 
was  buried  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  but  his  remains 
were  afterwards  taken  to  his  native  county,  where  the 
State  Society  of  Cincinnati  erected  a  monument  to  his 
memory. 

One  of  the  inscriptions  on  the  commemorative  mar- 
ble was  as  follows : 

Major-General 

Anthony  Wayne, 

Was  born  at  Waynesborough, 

in  Chester  county, 

State  of  Pennsylvania, 

A.  D.  1745. 


ANTHONY    WAYNE.  159 

After  a  life  of  honor  and  usefulness 
he  died  in  December,  1796, 

at  a  military  post 

on  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie, 

Commander-in-Chief  of  the  army  of 

the  United  States. 

His  military  achievements 

are  consecrated 

in  the  history  of  his  country, 

and  in 

the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 

His  remains 

are  here  deposited. 

Men  who  have  freely  bestowed  their  services  in 
glorious  and  unselfish  causes,  as  did  this  noble  patriot, 
must  live  while  heroes  are  remembered  or  their  brave 
deeds  emulated. 


CHAPTER   XII. 
JOHN    STARK. 

Chivalrons  Character  of  Stark. — Incident  of  Bunker  Hill. — Birth- 
place and  Early  Life. — The  Young  Hunter. — On  a  Trapping 
Excursion, — Captured  by  the  Indians. — On  the  Way  to  St.  Fran- 
cis.— Running  the  Gauntlet. — Admiration  of  the  Tribe  for  the 
White  Hunter. — He  is  made  a  Chief. — Seven  Years'  War. — New 
Hampshire  Rangers. — Battle  in  the  Snow. — Brilliant  Fighting 
of  Stark. — Promoted. — The  Guns  of  I^exington. — The  Muster  at 
Medford. — Advance  on  Trenton. — Princeton. — Re-enlistment. — ■ 
Popularity  of  Stark. — Under  a  Cloud. — Defence  of  Vermont. — 
Battle  of  Bennington.— Close  of  War.— 1812.— The  Warrior's 
Last  Sleep. 

rilHERE  is  a  peculiar  kind  of  heroism  about  the 
_L  character  of  John  Stark  as  it  is  handed  down  to 
us  by  the  historian.  A  dash  of  romance  interthreads 
it  which  suggests  the  noble  pioneers  of  Cooper's  stories. 
It  is  the  heroism  of  a  strongly-marked  individuality 
— of  a  gentle  nature  covered  over  by  a  rough  exterior. 
There  is  a  kind  of  latter-day  chivalry  enveloping  the 
accounts  we  have  of  him,  which,  in  the  times  of  tour- 
nament and  spear,  would  have  passed  current  as  the 
true  gold  of  knighthood.  Had  he  lived  in  the  days 
of  English  King  Alfred,  he  would  have  been  num- 
bered among  the  band  of  the  Round  Table,  beside 
such  stars  as  Sir  Launcelot,  the  brave,  and  Sir  Galahad, 
the  pure.  But  no  knight  of  ancient  or  modern  days 
ever  drew  lance  or  sword  in  nobler  cause  than  did 
John  Stark,  and  the  grandeur  of  it  filled  him — in- 
spired him,  as  one  incident  related  of  him  alone  will 
(160) 


JOHN  STARK.  161 

testify:  At  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  a  courier  in 
haste  came  to  him  with  the  news  (afterwards  discov- 
ered to  be  false)  that  his  son  had  fallen  on  the  field. 
The  Spartan  reply  was : — 

"  Is  this  a  time  for  private  grief  with  the  foe  in 
our  face?^'  and  the  courier  was  ordered  back  to  duty. 

Not  until  he  had  reached  his  twenty-fifth  year  did 
John  Stark  appear  as  an  actor  on  the  public  stage. 
He  had  previously  lived  the  simple,  sturdy  life  of  a 
New  England  pioneer  farmer,  having  been  born  in 
Londonderry,  New  Hampshire,  August  twenty-eighth, 
1728.  He  was  descended  from  Scotch  ancestry.  His 
avocations  besides  that  of  tilling  the  glebe  were  hunting 
and  trapping,  and  for  these  last  adventurous  pursuits 
he  held  the  true  frontiersman^s  love.  During  this 
period,  in  company  with  three  others,  he  went  on  a 
hunting  excursion  into  the  almost  unexplored  wilder- 
ness of  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  State.  The 
tract  was  known  to  be  infested  with  wild  beasts  and 
hostile  tribes  of  Indians,  but  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other  deterred  the  young  woodsman  from  setting  out 
on  his  perilous  journey.  After  being  out  two  days  the 
party  struck  an  Indian  trail  which  they  were  bold 
enough  to  follow.  Stark  was  somewhat  in  advance 
of  his  companions  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  traps, 
and  was  the  first  victim  of  the  St.  Francis  Indians, 
who  seized  him  and  demanded  the  whereabouts  of  his 
companions.  Stark  pointed  in  the  opposite  direction, 
but  the  others  were  soon  overtaken  just  as  they  were 
getting  into  a  boat  on  Baker's  River.  The  young 
trapper  called  to  his  companions  to  pull  for  the 
opposite  shore,  and,  as  the  savages  drew  their  pieces 
to  fire  on  them,  he  struck  the  weapons  out  of  his 


162  HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

captors'  hands.  This  boldness  in  their  white  victim 
excited  the  admiration  of  the  Indians,  although  they 
chastised  young  Stark  severely  for  his  temerity.  Hia 
skill  in  hunting  and  trapping  was  put  to  the  test  at 
once,  and,  becoming  of  use  to  them,  he  thus  made 
another  long  stride  in  their  favor.  He  was  taken 
with  the  tribe  on  their  way  to  St.  Francis,  and  was 
allowed  the  rights  of  property  in  the  capture  of  game. 

After  his  arrival  at  St.  Francis,  he  was  condemned 
to  run  the  gauntlet — a  ceremony  in  vogue  among  them 
which  is  administered  as  a  species  of  training  to  their 
young  warriors  in  order  to  test  and  discipline  their 
courage.  It  consisted  of  passing  through  the  centre 
of  two  lines  of  armed  savages,  who  delivered  each 
a  blow  to  the  flying  novice  as  he  rushed  down  the 
gauntlet  thus  formed.  Young  Stark  went  through 
this  ordeal  in  a  manner  which  astonished  his  red 
captors,  and  won  their  unbounded  admiration.  As 
he  sprang  down  the  line  he  seized  the  club  of  the 
foremost  among  them,  and,  swinging  it  vigorously 
aloft,  scattered  his  foes  right  and  left,  leaving  them 
baffled  and  subdued.  Loud  was  their  praise  in  honor 
of  this  act  of  daring.  Afterwards  when  Stark  was  set 
to  hoe  corn,  he  tossed  his  hoe  into  the  river  with  con- 
tempt, saying  it  was  "w^ork  for  squaws,  not  warriors." 
What  more  did  these  Indians  need  to  convince  them 
of  his  entire  worthiness  to  become  a  brave  among 
their  braves?  A  council  was  called  at  once,  and  Stark 
was  formally  created  a  cliief  of  the  tribe. 

For  many  moons  he  remained  among  these  St. 
Francis  people,  and  ever  afterwards  declared  that  he 
received  more  real  kindness  at  their  hands  than  he 
ever  knew  prisoners  of  war  to  receive  from  civilized 


JOHN  STARK. 

nations.  At  last  he  was  ransomed  by  the  commis- 
sioners of  Massachusetts  for  one  hundred  and  three 
dollars,  though  his  companion  captured  at  the  same 
time  was  only  valued  at  sixty  dollars. 

During  the  seven  years  French  and  Indian  war 
which  preceded  the  Revolution,  John  Stark  was  no  idle 
spectator.  A  corps  of  Rangers  under  Robert  Rogers 
was  recruited  for  service,  and  in  this  organization 
Stark  received  his  first  commission.  He  was  ever 
active  in  recruiting,  scouting,  and  exploring  during  the 
pauses  in  the  heat  of  the  long  contest.  In  the  middle 
of  January,  1757,  on  an  extremely  cold  day,  with  the 
snow  and  sleet  nearly  blinding  the  eyes  of  the  Rangers, 
the  enemy  was  encountered  midway  between  Ticon- 
deroga  and  Crown  Point,  and  a  battle  ensued.  Rogers 
was  wounded,  their  lieutenant  killed,  and  Stark  fought 
desperately  on — almost  the  only  officer  left  unhurt. 
At  last  the  lock  of  his  gun  was  broken,  and  springing 
forward  he  seized  a  weapon  from  the  grasp  of  a  pros- 
trate Frenchman  and  continued  the  fight,  exciting  his 
men  to  action.  When  a  retreat  was  suggested  he 
declared  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  who  attempted 
to  fly.  The  fight  was  kept  up  from  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  until  night  compelled  a  cessation  of  hostilities, 
when  in  the  cold  and  snow  they  commenced  a  retreat 
to  Fort  William  Henry,  their  only  succor,  forty  miles 
away.  Their  wounded  were  soon  compelled  to  halt, 
unable  to  continue  the  difficult  march.  In  this  crisis, 
John  Stark  and  two  others  set  out  on  snow-shoes  to 
the  fort  to  bring  help  and  relief  to  their  disabled  and 
dying.  The  long  distance  was  traversed  and  the 
return  journey  made  before  Stark  allowed  himself  to 
think  of  sleep.  This  battle  was  the  means  of  pro- 
moting him  to  the  rank  of  captain. 


164        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

At  the  downfall  of  Ticonderoga,  the  New  Hampshire 
Rangers,  foremost  in  danger  and  in  the  brunt  of  battle, 
won  an  enviable  reputation  for  bravery  and  daring, 
and  afterwards  during  this  protracted  struggle,  many- 
were  the  battles  fought  in  which  they  bore  a  con- 
spicuous part,  and  of  which  history  took  little  note. 
At  the  end  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  the 
^' Rangers^'  of  Major  Rogers  and  Captain  Stark  were 
disbanded,  and  Stark  returned  once  more  to  the  pur- 
suits of  a  peaceful  life.  This  interval  of  peace  lasted 
about  twelve  years  before  the  guns  of  Lexington  awoke 
the  country  with  their  echoes,  and  the  sons  of  the  soil 
rushed  to  her  rescue.  It  is  said  that  within  ten 
minutes  after  the  tidings  of  the  fight  at  Lexington  had 
reached  him,  Stark  was  on  his  way  to  the  scene  of 
action,  armed  and  equipped  for  battle.  As  he  went, 
he  called  on  all  lovers  of  country  and  liberty  to  meet 
him  at  Medford,  and  twelve  hundred  men  responded 
to  this  alarum  call.  With  these  brave  boys  he  was 
in  the  hottest  of  the  fight  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  not 
only  sustained  the  reputation  he  had  previously  won, 
but  added  fresh  laurels  to  his  chaplet  of  fame. 

As  the  great  wave  of  the  Revolution  swept  on. 
Stark  was  ever  found  promptly  at  his  post,  fearless  of 
danger,  alert  for  the  foe. 

Before,  or  about  the  time  the  policy  of  the  war  had 
changed  from  one  of  defence  to  an  aggressive  advance. 
Stark  was  prompt  with  his  advice  on  the  subject,  even 
though  he  counselled  so  great  a  general  as  Washington, 
himself. 

"  You  must  teach  your  men  to  rely  upon  their  fire- 
arms instead  of  their  pickaxes,  if  you  ever  mean  to 
establish  the  independence  of  the  United  States,'^  he 


JOHN  STARK.  165 

wrote  to  the  commander-in-chief,  and  that  general 
responded  quickly  enough.  ''This  is  what  we  have 
agreed  upon.  We  are  to  march  to-morrow  upon 
Trenton.  You  are  to  command  the  right  wing  of  the 
advance-guard,  and  General  Greene  the  left." 

.  .  .  .  The  victory  of  Trenton  followed,  and 
that  of  Princeton  tripped  closely  on  its  heels.  Despair 
was  turned  into  joy,  and  the  country  began  to  see  that 
her  precious  blood  had  not  been  spilled  in  vain.  Just 
at  this  juncture  of  affairs,  when  it  was  necessary  to 
follow  up  the  tide  of  victory  with  vigorous  work,  the 
term  of  enlistment  of  most  of  the  men  expired,  and 
the  personal  popularity  and  influence  of  their  leaders 
was  thus  put  to  the  test.  Would  the  men  go,  or  could 
they  be  induced  to  stay  through  another  term  of  enlist- 
ment before  seeking  the  respite  they  desired  at  their 
homes?  John  Stark  made  an  appeal  to  his  regiment 
not  in  vain,  and  every  man,  without  exception,  re- 
enlisted  for  six  weeks  longer  under  the  banner  of  their 
beloved  leader.  Then  he  went  to  New  Hampshire  for 
recruits,  and  scores  flocked  around  his  standard. 

But  at  this  time  there  transpired  an  act  of  injustice 
to  the  heroic  Stark,  which  the  faithful  chronicler 
records  with  a  sense  of  shame.  Through  some  un- 
accountable stupidity  on  the  part  of  those  in  authority, 
he  was  superseded  in  the  command  of  his  regiment  by 
novices  in  war  and  in  years. 

Against  this  insult  to  his  patriotic  services  his  pro- 
test was  entered  in  vain.  His  high  spirit  could  not 
brook  a  subordinate  position  so  undeserved,  and  there 
was  nothing  left  for  him  to  do  but  to  resign  his  com- 
mission. This  he  did,  and  then  returned  to  his  New 
Hampshire  farm,  to  the  labor  of  the  furrow  and  the 
scythe.     He  indulged  in  no  petty  or  personal  spite. 


IQQ  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

Though  he  suffered  under  the  wrono-  inflicted  on  him- 
self,  he  loved  his  country  and  her  cause  too  well  not  to 
lend  it  his  hearty  support.  All,  therefore,  whom  he 
could  influence,  were  urged  to  go  to  the  front.  His 
four  sons  were  sent  to  battle  while  he  stayed  behind  to 
work  on  the  farm.  When  General  Schuyler  urged 
him  to  remain  in  the  service,  he  replied,  that  "an 
officer  who  could  not  maintain  his  own  rank  and  assert 
his  own  rights,  could  not  be  trusted  to  vindicate  those 
of  his  country." 

But  circumstances  did  not  long  permit  the  veteran 
soldier  to  remain  merely  a  spectator  of  the  ever-memor- 
able scenes  of  the  Revolution.  The  New  Hampshire 
Grants,  as  Vermont  was  then  called,  were  threatened 
by  the  invading  foe  who  was  approaching  through  the 
region  of  Lake  Champlain  and  TicOnderoga.  The 
speaker  of  the  House  at  Exeter,  in  the  face  of  the 
imminent  danger  which  hung  over  the  homes  of  Ver- 
mont, rose  in  his  seat  and  pledged  his  money,  his  plate 
and  his  possessions  to  the  support  of  the  contest.  He 
then  proposed  Stark  as  the  man  who  should  lead  the 
State  forces  to  check  the  advance  of  Burgoyne,  and 
protect  their  beloved  boundaries.  Thus,  once  more 
was  the  veteran  hero  forced  into  the  field,  and  nobly 
did  he  execute  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  The  battle 
of  Bennington  followed.  Colonel  Gregg  had  been 
ordered  to  the  defence  of  the  town,  and  Stark  w^ent  to 
his  support.  It  was  a  hot  day  in  August  when  the 
battle  was  fought,  and  the  action  lasted  for  two  hours, 
continuously.  Stark  said  it  was  the  sharpest  engage- 
ment in  which  he  ever  participated,  and  the  result,  as 
every  student  of  history  knows,  was  a  complete  victory. 
Burgoyne's  men  and  their  Indian  allies  were  sent  flying 
in  disorderly  retreat,  and  the  pursuit  was  kept  up  by 


JOHN  STARK.  167 

Stark  until  night  interposed  its  darkness  between  the 
victorious  Vermont  boys  and  the  routed  foe.  Seven 
hundred  prisoners  were  captured  by  our  forces,  besides 
many  hundred  stands  of  arms  and  other  military 
accoutrements. 

A  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  by  Congress  to  Stark 
for  this  brilliant  achievement,  and  he  was  immediately 
invested  with  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  in  the 
American  army. 

It  was  at  the  battle  of  Bennington  that  Stark  pre- 
faced the  action  with  the  famous  words : 

"We  must  conquer  to-day,  my  boys,  or  to-night 
Molly  Stark's  a  widow !'' 

After  this  engagement  he  joined  the  army  under 
General  Gates  at  head-quarters,  and  subsequently  was 
stationed  at  West  Point,  where  he  participated  in  the 
trial  of  Andre. 

After  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis,  General  Stark 
returned  once  more  to  his  home  and  farm.  He  had 
served  his  country  long  and  faithfully,  and  retired  from 
his  protracted  period  of  active  service  beloved  by  the 
people  and  full  of  honors.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-four 
years  old  and  consequently  witnessed  the  war  of  1812. 
He  sleeps  upon  the  banks  of  the  Merrimac,  nor  heeds 
the  noisy  rush  of  the  river  as  it  speeds  on  its  mission 
to  the  sea.  No  clash  of  musketry,  no  roar  of  cannon 
will  ever  waken  him  more  from  this  last,  deep  repose. 
Men  call  it  death,  but  if  it  be  death,  it  is  that  of  the 
body  only,  for  his  memory  still  lives  and  speaks  to  us 
across  the  years.  It  bids  us  be  noble  and  unselfish, 
and  high  of  purpose  and  grand  of  aim.  Will  the  on- 
coming generations,  who  con  the  story  of  his  life, 
listen  to  the  preaching  of  such  an  example  in  vain? 
11 


PAET  SECOND. 


nt  ^mcM  Wnv, 


SUBJECTS: 

Chapter  Pago 

XIII.  WINFIELD  SCOTT 173 

XIV.  ZACHAKY  TAYLOR 188 

XV.  WILLIAM  JENKINS  WORTH 203 

XVL  JOHN  E.  WOOL 209 

XVn.  SAM  HOUSTON 212 

XVIIL  JAMES  SHIELDS 227 

XIX.  CHARLES  MAY 230 

(169) 


I 


.fiftiiFi 


^-ri£fl  w\fi^«-- 


^L. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
W^INFIELD  SCOTT. 

Lineage  and  Early  Life. — A  Captain  of  Artillery. — Court-Mar- 
tialled.  —  Queenstown  Heights.  —  Tomahawks. — Fort  George. — 
Battle  of  Chippewa. — Lundy's  Lane. — Wounded. — Public  En- 
thusiasm.— Through  a  Score  of  Years. — War  in  Mexico. — Vera 
Cruz. — "Don't  Expose  Yourselves,  Men!" — Cerro  Gordo, — At 
Puebla. —  Churubusco. —  Contreras. —  Chapultepec. —  Molino  del 
Eey. — City  of  Mexico  Taken. — Grand  Plaza  Scene. — Kesults. — 
"Hail  to  the  Chief!" 

IN  the  unsettled  period  of  civil  aflfhirs  which  suc- 
ceeded the  dawn  of  American  Independence,  there 
were  many  whom  the  force  of  circumstances,  united  to 
their  own  strength  of  character,  brought  prominently 
forward  as  champions  of  the  nation's  honor  against 
foreign  insult.  Among  this  distinguished  group  the 
striking  figure  of  Winfield  Scott  occupies  a  command- 
ing position.  Of  Scottish  descent,  he  was  a  Virginian 
by  birth,  and  made  his  first  entry  on  this  world's  cal- 
endar at  Petersburg,  June  thirteenth,  1786.  Between 
this  date  and  his  seventeenth  year,  old  Father  Time 
was  kind  to  the  grjwing  boy,  and  with  busy  power 
developed  the  superb  physique  for  which  the  future 
general  was  noted. 

Orphaned  at  seventeen,  he  studied  law,  and  in  1806 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  practised  his  profession 
for  two  terms  in  Virginia,  and  the  next  year  went  to 
South  Carolina.  It  is  doubtful  whether  nature  ever 
intended  him  for  a  lawyer :  but  if  she  gave  a  hint  in 

(173) 


174       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

that  direction,  contrary  currents  of  circumstance  un- 
shipped the  design.  For  when  in  1807-8  Congress 
enlarged  the  array,  Scott  applied  for  a  commission,  and 
through  the  influence  of  an  Honorable  friend,  was  ap- 
pointed a  captain  of  light  artillery.  He  was  now 
afloat  on  the  military  channel  and  drifted  steadily 
towards  the  great  ocean  of  events  which  surged  threat- 
eningly around  the  young  nation.  In  1809,  Scott  was 
ordered  to  New  Orleans,  and  during  the  public  agita- 
tion occasioned  by  the  Burr  intrigue  and  trial,  expressed 
his  mind  freely  concerning  General  Wilkinson,  whose 
conduct  in  connection  therewith  he  regarded  as  traitor- 
ous. For  this  indiscretion  and  through  the  machina- 
tions of  Wilkinson,  he  was  court-martialled  and  sen- 
tenced to  suspension  from  service  for  a  year.  The 
affair  seems  to  have  created  rather  a  favorable  effect 
than  otherwise,  since  he  was  soon  after  "complimented 
by  a  public  dinner,  given  by  many  officers  and  citizens 
of  the  neighborhood." 

During  the  year  of  his  suspension  he  was  diligent  in 
the  pursuit  of  military  studies,  and  in  July,  1812,  a 
month  after  war  was  formally  declared  with  Great 
Britain,  he  received  the  appointment  of  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  Second  Artillery.  Immediately  after- 
wards he  set  out  for  the  Niagara  frontier  and  estab- 
lished his  post  at  Black  Rock. 

The  battle  of  Queenstown  Heights  occurred  on  the 
thirteenth  of  October,  and  though  unfortunate  in  its 
principal  results,  it  exerted  a  beneficial  effect  on  the 
country.  The  daring  of  many  of  the  officers  rose  to  the 
pitch  of  heroism,  and  the  courage,  skill  and  effective- 
ness of  Colonel  Scott  were  especially  conspicuous.  The 
people  saw  that  they  had  men  among  them  who  were 
fully  qualified  to  lead  them  to  ultimate  victory. 


WINFIELD  SCOTT.  177 

"While  lodged  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  after  this  action, 
at  a  small  hotel  in  the  village  of  Niagara,  Scott  came 
near  losing  his  life  at  the  hands  of  a  couple  of  brawny 
savages  who  sent  in  a  message  that  they  wished  to  see 
the  "  tall  American/'  Not  knowing  who  his  strange 
visitors  might  be,  he  went  into  the  entry  without  sus- 
picion. After  a  moment  of  parley  the  Indians  drew 
their  knives  and  tomahawks,  declaring  they  would  kill 
him.  Scott  snatched  up  a  long  sabre  from  a  pile  lying 
in  the  corner,  and  for  some  uncertain  seconds,  held  the 
red  athletes  at  bay  in  their  desperate  endeavors  to  close 
in  on  him  together.  Nobody,  it  seems,  was  within 
call ;  but  just  at  this  critical  instant,  a  British  officer 
entered  from  the  street,  saw  the  situation,  shouted 
"  The  guard  !  "  and  the  sentinels  entering,  put  an  end 
to  the  treacherous  affair. 

The  campaign  of  1813,  which  opened  brilliantly 
with  the  capture  of  York,  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada, 
closed  in  disaster  with  the  abandonment  of  the  expedi- 
tion down  the  St.  Lawrence.  This  was  brought  about 
by  the  unexplainable  blunders  and  delays  of  some  of 
those  in  command — conspicuously  so  in  the  case  of 
General  Wilkinson,  who  refused  to  descend  the  river 
because  General  Hampton  had  refused  to  join  him. 
But  Scott  had  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  and 
capture  of  Fort  George,  the  key  to  the  peninsula  on 
the  British  side  of  Niagara,  tearing  down  the  flag  of 
Britain  with  his  own  hands,  and  also  in  numerous 
small  actions  which  reflected  great  credit  on  his  skilful 
handling  of  material  as  well  as  his  power  of  grasping 
situations  and  making  the  most  of  them.  In  July, 
he  had  been  promoted  to  the  command  of  a  double 
regiment,  and  on  March  ninth,  1814,  he  received  the 


178       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

appointment  of  brigadier-general.  Immediately  after- 
wards he  set  out  for  the  Niagara  frontier  from  Albany, 
joining  Major-General  Brown.  A  camp  of  instruction 
was  established  at  Sackett's  Harbor  under  Scott,  the 
effectiveness  of  whose  discipline  was  afterwards  amply 
illustrated  on  the  battle-fields  which  burst  from  the 
storm  of  war  that  swept  the  shores  of  Niagara. 

On  the  morning  of  July  fourth,  Scott's  brigade  was 
on  the  march  towards  Chippewa,  and  for  sixteen  miles 
a  running  fight  was  kept  up  with  the  British  One  Hun- 
dredth Regiment,  under  Marquis  Tweedale.  At  night- 
fall they  were  driven  across  Chippewa  River,  and  the 
next  day  the  famous  battle  of  that  name  was  fought  on 
the  plain  between  this  stream  and  Street's  Creek.  The 
American  troops  were  manoeuvred  with  splendid  ability, 
they  fought  with  great  bravery,  and  the  rout  of  the 
enemy  was  complete.  The  best  soldiery  of  Britain 
marched  over  Chippewa  bridge  that  day  to  meet  on 
the  battle-jilain  the  regiments  of  America,  and  though 
the  latter  were  numerically  inferior,  they  proved  con- 
clusively that  they  were  "  the  same  sort  of  men  as 
those  who  captured  whole  armies  under  Burgoyne  and 
Cornwallis."  A  writer  in  an  English  periodical  of 
that  day  says:  "Numerous  as  were  the  battles  of 
Napoleon  and  brave  as  were  his  soldiers,  I  do  not 
believe  that  even  he,  the  greatest  warrior  that  ever 
lived,  can  produce  an  instance  of  a  contest  so  well 
maintained,  or,  in  proportion  to  the  numbers  engaged, 
so  bloody  as  that  of  Chippewa." 

General  Brown,  in  his  official  report  of  the  battle, 
says :  "  Brigadier-General  Scott  is  entitled  to  the 
highest  praise  our  country  can  bestow:  to  him  more 
than  any  other  man  am  I  indebted  for  the  victory  of 


WINFIELD  SCOTT.  I79 

the  fifth  of  July.  His  brigade  covered  itself  with 
glory /^  Scott  was,  indeed,  the  actual  commander  in 
this  action,  and  justice  awards  him  the  chief  laurel 
won  on  that  far  distant  day. 

On  the  twenty-fifth  of  the  same  month,  a  little  below 
that  sublime  spot  where  the  wide  waste  of  waters 
which  rush  over  the  falls  of  Niagara  roar  and  tli under 
into  the  gulf  below,  and  where  Lundy's  Lane  meets 
the  rapid  river  at  right  angles,  was  enacted  the  scene 
of  conflict  which  took  its  name  from  the  locality,  and 
is  variously  called  the  battle  of  "  Lundy's  Lane,''  or 
*' Niagara."  The  action  began  forty  minutes  before 
sunset,  and  it  is  recorded  that  the  head  of  the  American 
column,  as  it  advanced,  was  encircled  by  a  rainbow — 
one  which  is  often  seen  there,  formed  from  the  rising 
spray.  The  happy  omen  faithfully  prefigured  the 
result;  for  when,  under  the  cloudy  sky  of  midnight, 
the  battle  at  length  terminated,  the  Americans  were  in 
possession  of  the  field  and  also  the  enemy's  cannon, 
which  had  rained  such  deadly  death  into  their  ranks. 
In  this  action  General  Scott  had  two  horses  killed 
under  him,  and  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night  he  was 
disabled  by  a  musket-ball  wound  through  the  left 
shoulder.  He  had  previously  been  wounded,  and  at 
this  juncture  was  borne  from  the  fray.  He  had  piloted 
Miller's  regiment  through  the  darkness  to  the  height 
on  Lundy's  Lane  where  the  enemy's  batteries  were 
posted,  and  upon  which  the  grand  charge  was  made 
that  decided  the  battle.  Throughout  the  action  he 
was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  occasion,  giving  personal 
direction  to  the  movements  of  liis  men,  and  lendino- 
the  inspiration  of  his  presence  to  all  parts  of  the  field. 
The  plaudits  which  press  and  people  afterwards 
showered  on  him  were  certainly  well  deserved. 


180        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

His  recovery  from  the  dangerous  wounds  inflicted 
at  Niagara  was  slow  and  painful,  and  when,  months 
afterwards,  he  journeyed  by  easy  stages,  to  Philadel- 
phia for  treatment,  he  was  greeted  along  the  route  by 
public  demonstrations  of  enthusiasm.  At  Princeton, 
particularly,  the  pale  and  wounded  soldier,  with  his 
arm  in  a  sling,  was  especially  honored,  and  the  trustees 
of  New  Jersey  College  conferred  on  him  the  honorary 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

Six  months  after  the  battle  of  Niagara  peace  was 
declared  and  Scott  was  ordered  to  Europe,  both  for 
the  restoration  of  his  health  and  also  as  the  confidential 
diplomatic  agent  of  government.     On  his  return  in 

1816,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  sea- 
board, with  head-quarters  at  New  York.     In  March, 

1817,  he  married    Miss  Maria  Mayo,  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  a  lady  of  reputed  beauty  and  culture. 

Near  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  Congress 
passed  a  vote  of  thanks  in  which  General  Scott  was 
complimented,  not  only  for  his  part  in  the  actions  of 
Chippewa  and  Lundy's  Lane,  but  '^  for  his  universal 
good  conduct  throughout  the  Avar,"  a  higher  meed  of 
praise  than  was  paid,  by  that  body,  to  any  other 
officer. 

For  the  succeeding  twenty  years  General  Scott 
retained  the  same  command,  and  during  that  time 
resided  at  New  York  and  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey. 
Much  concerning  the  occurrences  of  these  years,  as 
connected  with  him,  must  be  passed  over  which  it 
were  pleasant  to  relate;  events  which  were  full  of 
public  interest  at  the  time,  but  which  our  space 
excludes.  Such  was  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  such 
the  mournful  interest  attached  to  Scott  in  connection 


WIN  FIELD  SCOTT.  181 

with  the  Asiatic  cholera,  which  broke  out  with  so 
sudden  a  terror  among  the  troops  in  1832,  mid- 
summer, after  having  travelled  all  over  Europe.  The 
ravages  of  this  dread  destroyer  were  more  appalling 
than  those  of  the  sword,  and  the  panic  produced  by  it 
proportionately  greater.  More  than  half  the  troops 
embarked  at  Buffalo  for  Illinois,  took  their  eternal 
flight  to  the  world  of  spirits,  through  this  silent  but 
powerful  foe.  Scott's  humane  conduct  during  this 
crisis,  exhibited  him,  says  an  eye-witness,  "  not  only 
as  the  hero  of  battles  but  as  the  hero  of  humanity." 

We  pass  rapidly  in  review  the  Nullification  schemes 
in  South  Carolina  which  almost  resulted  in  open  war 
and  the  careful  and  wise  conduct  of  Scott  in  the  midst 
of  this  agitation ;  the  "  Compromise  Act,"  and  then 
the  Seminole  war  in  Florida ;  also,  the  'trouble  which 
again  broke  out  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  the  Cherokee 
controversy,  his  noble  address  to  those  Indians,  his  call 
once  more  to  the  Northern  frontier  between  Vermont 
and  Canada,  where  hostile  feeling  rode  rampant  over 
disputed  boundar}^  lines,  the  tranquillizing  result  of  his 
visit,  his  reputation  as  a  pacificator,  his  prospects  for 
the  Presidency  in  1839,  and  last,  but  not  least,  his 
entrance  upon  the  theatre  of  the  Mexican  war  in 
1846, 

General  Scott  reached  the  Rio-Grande  about  the  first 
of  January,  1847,  and  on  the  seventh  of  March,  em- 
barked his  forces,  twelve  thousand  strong,  on  trans- 
ports bound  for  Vera  Cruz,  at  Avhich  point  they 
effected  a  brilliant  landing,  without  accident  or  loss,  a 
little  before  sunset  on  the  same  day.  The  entire  army 
occupied  its  assigned  positions  by  the  twelfth,  and 
the  investment  of  the  city  was  complete.     The  guns 


182  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

of  Vera  Cruz  and  the  famous  castle  of  San  Juan 
d'Ulloa  kept  up  a  constant  firing,  but  without  injury 
to  the  American  troops.  For  fifteen  days  the  be- 
leaguered city  was  a  theatre  of  terrible  activity.  The 
screech  of  shells,  the  roar  of  cannon,  the  explosion  of 
shot  reverberated  through  its  streets,  and  poured  their 
fire  on  the  castle.  General  Landero,  commanding  the 
Mexican  forces,  at  last  made  overtures  of  surrender, 
and  on  the  twenty-seventh,  articles  of  capitulation 
were  signed.  Five  thousand  prisoners  surrendered  on 
parole  and  nearly  five  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  were 
captured.  The  environment  had  been  skilful  in  plan 
and  decisive  in  strength.  On  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-ninth,  America's  flag,  blown  by  the  winds  of 
the  gulf,  floated  from  the  renowned  castle  of  d'Ulloa, 
land  of  the  Aztecs  !  It  is  said  that,  during  this  siege, 
when  Scott  was  once  walking  along  the  trenches,  he 
observed  that  the  soldiers  would  frequently  rise  up 
and  look  over  the  parapet.  "  Down,  down,  men  !  "  he 
cried,  '^  don't  expose  yourselves  !  "  "  But,  general," 
said  one,  ^^ you  are  exposed."  "Oh,"  replied  Scott, 
"  generals,  now-a-days,  can  be  made  out  of  anybody, 
but  men  can't  be  had.'^ 

Ten  days  after  the  surrender  of  Vera  Cruz,  the 
division  of  Twiggs,  which  had  been  detached  from 
Taylor's  command,  was  marching  towards  the  mountain 
heights  of  Cerro  Gordo,  defended  by  Santa  Anna  with 
fifteen  thousand  men.  Scott,  with  skilful  foresight, 
after  inspecting  the  position,  ordered  a  road  to  be  cut 
to  the  left  of  the  Cerro  Gordo  crest,  which  by  winding 
around  the  base  of  the  mountain,  would  ascend  in  rear 
of  the  Mexican  forts  and  behind  the  entire  Mexican 
position.     "  The  labor,  the  courage  of  American  sol- 


WINFIELD  SCOTT.  183 

diers  accomplished  it."     Nor   did  the  Mexicans  dis- 
cover it  for  three  days. 

On  the  seventeenth,  Twiggs,  under  fire  of  grape  and 
musketry,  had  carried  the  hill  below  Cerro  Gordo, 
above  the  new  road.  On  that  day,  too,  the  prophetic 
order  of  Scott  was  issued,  containing  the  movements 
of  attack,  battle  and  victory,  as,  with  one  exception, 
they  were  the  next  day  carried  out.  ''  The  enemy's 
position,  on  the  night  of  the  seventeenth,  seemed  im- 
pregnable. On  their  right,  rolled  a  deep  riv^er.  From 
its  sides  rose  a  chain  of  mountains  one  thousand  feet 
high,  crowned  with  heavy  batteries,  and  over  all,  the 
tower  of  Cerro  Gordo."  Behind  these  fortressed  ram- 
parts fifteen  thousand  troops  were  in  waiting  to  defend 
the  position.  Under  cover  of  darkness,  one  thousand 
men  from  the  brave  division  of  Twiggs,  divided  into 
relief-parties  of  five  hundred  each,  dragged  by  hand, 
a  battery  up  the  steep  sides  of  the  captured  hill  below 
Cerro  Gordo,  a  position  commanding  every  defence  of 
the  enemy  except  the  fortress  of  Cerro  Gordo  itself. 
TJiat  must  be  stormed.  And  the  next  morning,  in  the 
teeth  of  its  belching  guns,  the  gallant  Harney  led  the 
storming  party.  Nor  stopped,  though  the  front  ranks 
sank  under  a  withering  blaze,  until  with  shouts  that 
echoed  from  the  mountain  sides,  those  heroic  men 
entered  the  citadel,  tore  down  the  Mexican  banner  and 
reqlaced  it  with  their  own  conquering  ensign.  The 
army  of  Santa  Anna  were  flying  in  all  directions  and 
the  pursuit  was  kept  up  until  noon.  That  general 
made  his  escape  by  way  of  the  Jalapa  road.  "  Three 
thousand  prisoners,  forty-three  pieces  of  bronze  artil- 
lery, five  thousand  stand  of  arms  and  five  generals, 
with  the  munitions  and   materials  of  war  "  were  cap- 


184        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

tured  in  this  single  battle.  The  masterly  manner  in 
which  the  strength  and  defences  of  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion were  overcome,  reflects  undying  lustre  on  the 
generalship  of  Scott;  but  not  more  than  does  his 
humane  treatment  of  and  sympathy  with  his  wounded 
soldiery,  after  the  battle.  He  visited  them  in  person 
and  saw  that  they  had  the  best  attendance. 

"  From  the  field  of  Cerro  Gordo,  the  rout  of  the 
Mexican  array  was  complete.''  The  city  of  Jalapa 
was  taken,  the  town  of  Perote  captured  and  Puebla 
occupied.  From  the  shores  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,  the 
invading  army  had  marched  two  hundred  miles  into 
the  heart  of  the  Aztec  land. 

On  the  tenth  of  August,  the  American  forces  set 
out  on  their  advance  from  Puebla  to  the  city  of 
Mexico.  They  followed  the  stage  route  through  and 
over  the  Cordilleras,  leading  down  into  the  far-famed 
and  beautiful  valley  of  Mexico.  On  the  eighteenth, 
they  were  concentrated  in  that  valley  and  Scott  had 
established  his  head-quarters  at  San  Augustine.  The 
crisis  of  the  campaign — the  capture  of  the  city  of  the 
Montezumas — was  now  the  problem  presented.  Santa 
Anna  was  there  with  a  well-appointed  army  and  two 
strong  lines  of  defences.  Near  the  city  was  Churubusco, 
with  its  intrenchments  and  garrisoned  stone  houses. 
To  the  left  rose  the  fortified  hill  of  Contreras.  Nearer 
yet  loomed  ChapuUejoec,  also  a  strongly  fortified  hill, 
and  at  its  foot,  Molino  del  Rey  (the  King's  Mill),  and 
a  fortified  stone  wall.  "  These  defences  covered  every 
practicable  road  to  the  city,"  and,  as  Scott  had  fore- 
seen, must  be  taken  before  Mexico  could  be  entered. 
A.t  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth, 
decisive  action  began,  and  before  the  sun  sank  from 


WIN  FIELD  SCOTT.  185 

sight  that  day,  all  these  formidable  works  had  been 
brilliantly  stormed  and  taken — three  battles  being  in 
progress  at  once!  Scott  might  have  crowned  these 
results  by  marching  victoriously  into  the  city  itself  on 
the  same  day :  but  wishing  to  "  conquer  a  peace  '^  as 
he  expressed  it,  and  avoid  any  unnecessary  shedding 
of  blood,  he  halted  his  army  at  its  gates;  and  on  the 
twenty-second,  commissioners  to  treat  of  peace  were 
appointed  on  both  sides.  But  Santa  Anna  violated 
the  armistice,  and  on  the  seventh  of  September  it  was 
terminated  and  the  victorious  army  resumed  its  trium- 
phant advance. 

On  the  eighth,  the  immediate  defences  of  the  city 
were  taken ;  and  on  the  fourteenth,  after  surmounting 
almost  interminable  difficulties,  the  army  marched  into 
the  Grand  Plaza  of  Mexico.  The  stars  and  stripes 
were  given  to  the  breeze,  and,  just  at  this  moment, 
Scott,  in  full  uniform,  rode  through  the  column  to  the 
Plaza.  "A  tremendous  hurrah'^  broke  from  the  ranks. 
The  old  chieftain,  waving  his  cap,  while  tears  ran 
down  his  cheeks,  exclaimed  :  "  My  heart  is  with  you  ! " 
It  was  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  the  Second 
Dragoons  played  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  as  he  made  his 
way  to  the  National  Palace. 

"Wherever  Scott  moved  among;  the  soldiers  he 
greeted  them  with  warm  affection.  .  .  .  These 
short  but  emphatic  addresses  had  a  profound  effect 
on  the  men.  As  he  passed  a  portion  of  the  Rifle 
Regiment,  he  returned  their  salute,  saying  with  em- 
phasis: ^ Brave  Rifles!  Veterans!  You  have  been 
baptized  in  fire  and  blood  and  have  come  out  steel!'" 

History  will  place  its  greenest  chaplet  on  the  brow 
of  this  war-worn  hero  when  "it  will  be  remembered 


186       HEROES   OF  THREE  WARS. 

that  he  was  not  only  made  illustrious  by  battles,  but 
was  also  graced  by  humanity  to  a  fallen  foe,  and  a 
generous  gratitude  to  his  companions-in-arms." 

This  wonderful  Mexican  campaign,  which  terminated 
on  the  seventeenth  of  September,  speaks  for  itself  in 
the  "  eight  battles  gloriously  won ;  two  cities  besieged 
and  taken;  two  castles  and  numerous  strongholds, 
with  thousands  of  prisoners  and  an  immense  quantity 
of  all  the  munitions  of  war.''  The  ultimate  re- 
sults were  more  than  a  "conquered  peace."  Mexico 
was  restored  to  order.  California,  Utah  and  New 
Mexico  were  added  to  our  possessions  for  the  peaceful 
entry  of  freedom  and  thrift.  New  enterprises  awoke. 
The  gold  mines  of  Sierra  Nevada  gave  us  their 
wealth,  and  the  Pacific  coast  was  ours,  whence  com- 
mercial intercourse  w^ith  Eastern  nations  could  be 
maintained. 

In  this  campaign,  Scott  demonstrated  the  splendor 
of  his  military  genius,  his  energy,  his  executive  power. 
He  made  sure  aim  at  the  high  mark  of  success  and 
achieved  it.  His  victories  were  brilliant  and — to  his 
eternal  credit  be  it  spoken — their  harsher  features  were 
softened  by  his  humanitarian  conduct. 

What  need  we  say  more  of  the  war-begrimed  and 
splendid  old  soldier?  His  magnificent  reception  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  on  his  return  to  the  United 
States,  the  steady  course  of  subsequent  events — these 
require  no  mention  here.  Civic  wreath  and  song  are 
his,  and  "Hail  to  the  Chief,"  his  most  appropriate 
requiem.  We  see  his  tall  figure  looming  for  the 
instant  athwart  the  horizon  of  public  affairs,  as  the 
thunders  of  civil  strife  first  break  over  Charleston 
Harbor  in  1861,  and  then  it  disappears  forever.     We 


WINFIELD    SCOTT.  I37 

prefer  rather  to  remember  him  as  he  reined  his  war- 
horse  on  the  Grand  Plaza  of  the  City  of  Mexico, 
surrounded  by  the  tried  ranks  of  veteran  soldiery,  and 
framed  in  by  the  ancient  halls  of  the  Montezumas. 
The  fruits  of  victory  which  there  culminated,  are  his 
best  eulogy,  and  a|)])ropriately  transmit  to  posterity 
his  honored  name  and  fame. 
12 


CHAPTER    XIV. 
ZACHARY.  TAYLOR. 

His  Characteristics. — Duty,  his  Constant  Watchword, — Lineage.— 
Early  Plantation  Life. — Indian  Foes. — Lieutenant  in  the  United 
States  Army, — At  Fort  Harrison. — Battle  with  Tecumseh. — 
Brevet  Major. — The  Florida  War. — Okeechobee. — Ordered  to 
Corpus  Christi. — Palo  Alto. — Resaca  de  la  Palma. — Promoted  to 
Major-General. — At  Montery. — Bloody  Buena  Vista. — Colonel 
Marshall's  Opinion. — General  Taylor's  Dislike  for  a  Uniform. — 
Ovations  on  his  Keturn. — Elected  President. — Stern  Death. — 
Last  Scenes. — Universal  Sorrow. 

rjlHE  blaze  of  glory  which  is  concentrated  upon  the 
J-  name  and  life  of  Zachary  Taylor,  reveals  a  hero 
as  true  in  metal,  as  sterling  in  virtue,  as  intrepid  in 
action  and  tender  of  heart,  as  ever  lifted  sword  in  the 
cause  of  honor  or  country.  On  him  has  fallen  that 
most  sacred  mantle  of  renown  woven  from  the  fabric 
of  a  people's  confidence,  and  lovingly  bestowed — not 
as  upon  a  being  of  superior  race  to  be  worshipped,  but 
because  he  was  a  leader  from  among  themselves — truly 
of  the  people. 

He  was  honored  with  their  fullest  trust  in  his  integ- 
rity, and  with  their  largest  faith  in  his  uprightness  as 
a  man.  As  Mr.  Webster  truly  said,  the  best  days  of 
the  Roman  republic  afforded  no  brighter  example  of  a 
man,  who,  receiving  the  plaudits  of  a  grateful  nation 
and  clothed  in  the  highest  authority  of  State,  reached 
that  pinnacle  by  more  honest  means ;  who  could  not 
be  accused  of  the  smallest  intrigue  or  of  pursuing  any 
(188) 


ZACHABY  TAYLOR.  189 

devious  ways  to  political  emolument  in  order  to  gratify 
personal  ambition.  All  the  circumstances  of  his  rise 
and  popularity,  from  the  beginning  of  his  career,  when, 
amid  blood  and  smoke,  he  made  the  heroic  defence  of 
Fort  Harrison,  to  the  wonderful  battles  of  Palo  Alto, 
Resaca,  and  Buena  Yista,  and  at  last  the  attainment  of 
the  President's  chair — all  repel  the  slightest  suspicion 
of  sinister  motive  or  a  wish  for  individual  aggrandize- 
ment. The  unwavering  rule  of  his  life — his  guide  in 
every  action,  was  the  simple  watchword,  "duty." 

As  to  his  qualities  of  leadership,  they  shone  out  in 
high  relief,  from  first  to  last.  In  the  war  of  1812,  he 
was  only  a  captain,  yet  at  Fort  Harrison  he  inspired 
the  scanty  garrison  with  a  belief  in  his  power  and  they 
gave  him  their  devoted  support.  In  the  Florida  cam- 
paign he  commanded  only  a  brigade,  yet  he  seemed  to 
infuse  into  every  soldier  the  most  courageous  bravery. 
In  the  beginning  of  the  war  with  Mexico  he  marched 
into  action  at  the  head  of  a  single  division.  And  when 
this  force  afterwards  swelled  into  an  army,  it  did  not 
prove  too  much  for  the  resources  of  its  commanding 
general.  The  frowning  heights  and  barricaded  streets 
of  Monterey,  bristling  with  ten  thousand  Mexicans, 
did  not  daunt  him.  What  though  he  had  only  six 
thousand  men  with  which  to  hold  them  in  siege  ?  The 
assault  was  fearlessly  made,  the  streets  were  stormed, 
the  heights  were  carried,  the  city  was  won — and  kept. 

The  brilliant  victory  of  Buena  Yista,  where  five 
thousand  Americans  hurled  back  and  repulsed  a 
tumultuous  Mexican  horde  of  twenty  thousand,  only 
reiterates  the  same  marvellous  story  of  superior  leader- 
ship. "  Every  rank  was  steadied,  every  eye  kindled  to 
enthusiasm  by  the  presence  of  this  man,  beloved  of 


190       HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

his   soldiers,  whose   resolution    never  faltered,  whose 
spirit  rose  highest  where  perils  swarmed  thickest." 

Fresh  from  these  splendid  achievements,  he  received 
the  nomination  for  president  over  the  names  of  Henry 
Clay,  Daniel  Webster,  and  General  Scott.  It  was  a 
spontaneous  expression  of  the  people's  confidence, 
unheralded  and  unsought.  And  when  he  was  trium- 
})hantly  elected  over  the  democratic  and  free-soil  can- 
didates— General  Cass,  Martin  Van  Buren  and  Charles 
Francis  Adams — he  accepted  the  high  office  in  a  spirit 
of  humility  and  simple  compliance  with  duty. 

Descended  from  a  distinguished  English  family  which 
emigrated  to  Virginia  in  1692,  his  family  name  is  closely 
interwoven  with  the  history  and  growth  of  that  State. 
His  father,  Colonel  Richard  Taylor,  was  a  companion- 
in-arms  of  Washington,  and  served  throughout  the 
Revolution,  an  active  participant  in  its  principal  battles. 
Zachary  was  his  third  son,  and  a  year  after  his  birth 
he  removed  to  a  large  Kentucky  plantation  near  Louis- 
ville. Here,  amid  farm  life  and  labor,  passed  the  boy- 
hood of  Zachary,  and  in  attendance  at  such  a  school  as 
the  times  and  country  afforded.  But  even  this  life  was 
not  altogether  tranquil :  for  Indian  depredations  and 
massacres  in  the  neighborhood  were  of  frequent  occur- 
rence, and  the  road  between  his  father's  plantation  and 
the  school-house  was  a  journey  full  of  hazard.  But 
the  ever-watchful  and  over-guarding  Fates  preserved 
the  life  of  the  noble  boy  for  his  future  high  destiny, 
and  thus,  in  hardy  sports,  in  hunting  through  the 
trackless  forest  and  in  marshalling  mimic  soldiery,  the 
first  eighteen  years  of  his  life  fled  swiftly  by.  Then 
occurred  the  death  of  his  brother  Hancock,  who  was  a 
lieutenant  in  the  United  States  army.    Zachary  applied 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR.  191 

to  Mr.  Jefferson  for  the  vacant  commission  and  received 
it.     He  was  therefore  only  eighteen  years  old  when,  on 
May  third,  1808,  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant  in 
the  Seventh  Regiment.     At  this  time  the  war  excite- 
ment preceding  the  outbreak    of   1812  had   risen  to 
great  height  on  account  of  the  seizure  of  the  United 
States  frigate  "Chesapeake"  on  the  high  seas,  by  the 
British  frigate  "Leopard.''    Young  Lieutenant  Taylor 
partook  of  the  prevailing  excitement ;  but  from  this 
period  until  war  was  openly  declared  in  1812,  there  is 
little  to  record  in  his  history.     A  few  weeks  previous 
to  this  date  he  had  been  placed  in  command  of  Fort 
Harrison,  a  block-house  and  stockade  on  the  Wabash, 
about  fifly  miles  above  Vincennes,  which   had   been 
built  by  General  Harrison,  Governor  of  the  Northwest 
Territory,  for  frontier  defence.     A  captain's  commis- 
sion from  President  Madison  accompanied  his  appoint- 
ment as  commander  of  the  fort,  and  as  this  was  one  of 
the  most  advanced  posts  on  the  outskirts  of  the  Indian 
territory,  the  young  captain  was  thus  thrown  into  the 
front  of  hostilities. 

Tecumseh  had  selected  this  as  a  point  of  attack,  and 
on  September  fifth,  1812,  after  making  an  ineffec- 
tual attempt  to  get  possession  of  the  fort  by  strategy, 
he  led  a  furious  assault  on  the  works  at  the  head  of 
four  hundred  Indians.  That  night,  at  about  eleven 
o'clock,  the  sharp  report  of  a  sentry's  rifle  cut  the  air, 
and  a  moment  after,  an  alarm  of  fire  was  given.  The 
lower  block-house  was  in  flames,  and  for  a  few  despair- 
ing moments  the  little  garrison  of  fifty  men,  two-thirds 
of  whom  were  disabled  from  sickness,  were  thrown  into 
the  wildest  confusion.  Between  the  terror  of  fire  and 
the  tomahawk,  they  thought  death  certain. 


192        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

But  the  young  commander  had  grasped  the  situation 
and  saw  that  by  throwing  oif  part  of  the  roof  where 
the  buildings  joined,  the  fire  could  be  stopped  and 
breastworks  thrown  up  in  the  breach.  Orders  to  this 
end  were  instantly  given,  and  "  never/'  said  Captain 
Taylor,  in  his  official  report,  "  did  men  act  with  more 
firmness  or  desperation/'  For  seven  hours  the  con- 
flict raged  with  undiminished  fury,  but  the  defence 
was  conducted  with  such  skill  and  determined  resist- 
ance that  at  six  o'clock  the  savage  foe  retired  from  the 
fort  repulsed,  having  suffered  severely  from  the  well- 
directed  fire  of  the  brave  little  band. 

The  fame  of  this  noble  conduct  at  Fort  Harrison 
spread  throughout  the  west,  and  did  not  pass  unnoticed 
by  government.  The  young  commander  received 
official  thanks  for  his  services,  and  President  Madison 
conferred  on  him  the  rank  of  major  by  brevet — the 
first  instance  of  the  kind  given  in  this  country. 

His  services  between  this  period  and  the  Florida 
war  furnished  no  opportunity  for  the  display  of  his 
special  talents.  In  1814,  he  commanded  an  expedi- 
tion against  the  British  and  Indians  on  Rock  River. 
In  1815,  when  peace  was  declared  and  the  army 
reduced,  he  was  returned  to  his  former  rank  of  cap- 
tain ;  whereupon  he  immediately  resigned  and  retired 
to  his  Louisville  plantation.  In  1816,  his  former 
rank  of  major  having  been  restored,  he  was  ordered  to 
Green  Bay,  Wisconsin, 

Three  years  later  he  went  to  New  Orleans  on 
military  duty,  and  in  1819  was  commissioned  lieu- 
tenant-colonel. In  1832,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  colonel.  Then  followed  an  expedition  against 
Black  Hawk,  which  took  him  to  Fort  Crawford  at 
Prairie  du  Chien.    In  1837,  he  was  ordered  to  the  seat 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR.  193 

of  the  Seminole  war  in  Florida  and  placed  in  command 
of  the  United  States  forces  operating  against  Osceola, 
their  principal  chief.  Marching  from  Fort  Gardner 
for  the  everglades,  with  a  force  of  eleven  hundred 
men,  he  encountered  all  the  obstacles  presented  by 
cypress  swamps,  marshy  thickets,  and  a  wet,  yielding 
soil.  On  the  twenty-fifth  of  December,  they  came 
upon  the  edge  of  a  dense  swamp  near  Lake  Okeechobee, 
where  the  Indians  were  gathered  in  force,  and  after 
halting,  to  form  line  of  battle,  charged  their  unseen  foe 
across  the  sedgy  morass,  into  which  they  sank  knee-deep 
at  every  step.  When  half  way  across  the  slough,  the 
Indians  opened  fire  upon  them  and  the  brave  troops 
were  mowed  down  by  scores.  Yet,  undismayed,  they 
struggled  on.  Against  their  solid  ranks  the  Seminoles 
broke  in  disorder,  rallied,  were  broken  again,  and 
again  gathered  themselves  together  for  a  last  vain 
resistance.  Nothing  could  stand  before  the  advance 
of  that  unflinching  column.  The  Indians  were  driven 
from  their  position,  and  the  renowned  victory  of 
Okeechobee  had  become  history. 

After  this  battle,  Taylor  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  brevet  brigadier-general  and  given  the  chief  com- 
mand in  Florida.  In  1840,  he  was  placed  over  the 
first  military  department  of  the  southwest,  and  remained 
at  Forts  Jessup  and  Gibson  until  the  beginning  of  the 
Mexican  war. 

On  March  first,  1845,  Congress  passed  the  resoki- 
tion  admitting  Texas  into  the  Union,  claiming  the  Rio 
Grande  as  her  southwestern  boundary.  Mexico  dis- 
puted the  claim  beyond  the  jSTeuces,  and  prepared  to 
defend  the  disputed  territory  or  perhaps  re-conquer  the 
entire  lost  province  of  Texas. 


194        HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

General  Taylor  was  ordered  to  Corpus  Christ!  in 
November,  occupying  that  place  with  an  array  of  four 
thousand  men.  On  March  eighth,  1846,  he  advanced 
in  the  direction  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  built  Fort 
Brown,  opposite  the  port  of  Metamoras.  The  Mexi- 
can General  Ampudia  demanded  that  he  should  retire 
across  the  Neuces  while  negotiations  were  pending ; 
but  General  Taylor  replied  that  his  instructions  did 
not  permit  his  compliance  with  the  demand.  Where- 
upon, General  Arista,  who  succeeded  Ampudia,  crossed 
the  Rio  Grande  with  a  force  of  six  thousand.  General 
Taylor  had  twenty-three  hundred  men  with  which  to 
meet  them. 

On  the  evening  of  May  seventh.  General  Taylor  and 
his  little  army  set  out  on  their  return  march  from 
Point  Isabel  to  Metamoras,  and  the  next  morning, 
when  within  a  few  miles  of  that  place,  on  reaching  a 
level  plateau  bordered  with  trees,  called  Palo  Alto, 
they  encountered  the  Mexicans  under  General  Arista, 
drawn  up  in  battle  array  across  the  road. 

When  within  sight  of  the  enemy.  General  Taylor 
halted  his  men,  gave  them  an  hour's  rest  and  then 
formed  them  in  order  of  battle.  When  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  Mexicans,  a  heavy  artillery  fire 
was  opened  upon  them,  which  was  returned.  The 
opposing  columns  began  to  waver,  when  General  Arista 
ordered  a  cavalry  charge.  But  a  steady  fire  of 
artillery  from  Major  Ringgold  and  Ridgeley's  batteries 
continued  to  pour  destruction  into  their  ranks,  opening 
oreat  gaps  in  the  advancing  line  of  horsemen,  until 
they  staggered  and  reeled  and  at  last  fled  in  precipitate 
haste. 

For  a  short  time  after  this  the  battle  raged  furiously, 


ZACHARY   TAYLOR.  195 

until  one  of  Captain  Duncan's  pieces  ignited  the 
prairie  grass.  Clouds  of  smoke  rolled  up  from  the 
ground,  obscuring  friend  and  foe.  Both  armies  re- 
formed their  battle-line,  and  when  the  smoke  dis- 
persed, the  Mexican  infantry  made  a  second  advance. 
But  their  ranks  were  mowed  down  as  before,  and  soon 
both  infantry  and  cavalry  were  flying  in  disorder. 
Kind  night,  which  often  puts  an  end  to  strife,  inter- 
posed between  vanquished  and  victor,  and  forbade  pur- 
suit. Six  hundred  dead  and  wounded  Mexicans  left 
on  the  field,  emphasized  this  victory.  But  the  next 
day.  May  ninth,  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the 
contest  was  continued  at  Resaca  de  la  Pal  ma,  a  deep 
ravine  in  an  open  strip  of  land  crossed  by  the  road 
leading  to  Metamoras. 

The  Mexicans  had  entrenched  themselves  in  this 
ditch,  which  gave  them  a  position  of  great  natural 
strength.  The  battle  was  again  opened  by  the  artil- 
lery. The  American  batteries  were  pushed  close  to 
the  enemy's  line,  and  the  havoc  was  awful — the  ground 
being  literally  heaped  with  dead  and  wounded. 

The  Mexicans  were  forced  across  the  ravine,  but 
their  artillery  was  so  well  posted  in  the  gullies,  that 
Captain  May  was  ordered  to  charge  the  guns  with  his 
dragoons.  With,  resistless  bravery.  May  and  his  men 
swept  down  upon  the  gunners,  and  after  a  fearful 
struggle,  at  last  carried  the  batteries. 

The  Tarapico  battalion  were  the  last  to  yield.  Their 
standard-bearer  tore  the  flag  from  its  staff,  and  was 
flying  with  the  precious  possession,  when  he  and  his 
trophy  were  both  captured. 

The  rout  was  complete.  Arista's  head-quarters,  his 
plate  and   private  property,  arms,  ammunition,  pack 


196       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

saddles — all  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans. 
Seventeen  hundred  men  under  General  Taylcr  had  on 
this  field  repulsed  and  put  to  flight  six  thousand 
Mexicans.  The  enemy's  loss  was  one  thousand,  the 
American  one  hundred  and  ten. 

In  June,  Congress  promoted  General  Taylor  to  the 
full  rank  of  major-general,  and  throughout  the  Union 
he  was  voted  testimonials  of  gratitude  for  his  heroic 
services. 

In  September,  he  marched  against  Monterey  with 
six  thousand  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  men,  and 
after  ten  days'  siege  and  three  days'  desperate  fighting, 
Arapudia  capitulated,  and  the  fortressed  town  was 
entered  and  occupied  by  American  troops. 

General  Taylor  now  established  his  head-quarters 
at  Monterey,  but  on  the  twentieth  of  December,  took  up 
his  march  for  Victoria.  General  Quitman  entered 
that  place  without  opposition  on  the  twenty-ninth,  and 
on  January  fourth.  General  Taylor  arrived  with 
Twiggs'  division.  News  was  received  that  Santa 
Anna,  who  had  been  placed  in  command  of  the  Mexi- 
can forces,  designed  making  an  advance  in  force,  and 
it  was  at  this  inopportune  time  that  General  Scott 
withdrew  the  greater  portion  of  the  troops  under 
General  Taylor,  to  aid  in  his  operations  on  the  Gulf. 

On  learning  of  the  approach  of  Santa  Anna,  he 
advanced  to  Agua  Nueva  from  Monterey,  where  he 
had  again  taken  up  his  head-quarters.  He  remained 
at  Agua  Nueva,  twenty  miles  south  of  Saltillo,  until 
the  twenty-first  of  February.  On  that  day  intelli- 
gence was  received  of  Santa  Anna's  approach  at  the 
head  of  his  entire  army.  Believing  that  the  mountain 
pass  of  Buena  Vista,  eleven  miles  to  the  rear,  would 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR.  197 

be  a  much  more  desirable  point  from  which  to  con- 
front the  overvvhehiiing  numbers  of  the  enemy,  he  fell 
back  to  that  place,  took  a  strong  position,  and  calmly 
awaited  the  onset  of  Santa  Anna's  hosts.  The  road 
here  narrows  into  a  defile,  with  a  deep  ravine  on  the 
right,  and  on  the  left,  the  mountain  ranges  of  the 
Sierra  Madre,  towering  two  thousand  feet  high.  The 
American  troops  were  disposed  along  a  spur  of  foot 
hills,  running  from  the  mountain  nearly  to  the  ravine, 
the  space  of  ground  between  the  hills  and  ravine  being 
occupied  by  five  pieces  of  light  artillery  under  Captain 
AYashinarton.  Wide  ravines  were  between  the  two 
armies.  The  nature  of  the  ground  was  such  as  to 
render  almost  useless  the  artillery  and  cavalry  of  the 
enemy. 

In  the  choice  of  this  position.  General  Taylor  ex- 
hibited the  same  masterly  forethought  which  had 
distinguished  his  previous  military  operations.  Some 
hours  elapsed  after  these  dispositions  had  been  made, 
before  the  battle  commenced.  It  was  about  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  twenty-second  of 
February,  when  the  clouds  of  dust  rolling  up  from 
the  direction  of  Agua  Nueva,  announced  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy.  Two  thousand  lancers,  with 
weopons  glinting  in  the  sunlight,  composed  the  lead- 
ing division.  And  what  seemed  an  immense  host, 
followed. 

The  Kentucky  cavalry  and  Arkansas  troops,  posted 
near  the  mountain  as  skirmishers,  brought  on  the 
action,  engaging  fifteen  hundred  of  the  enemy's  light 
troops,  deployed  on  the  mountain  top.  Then  followed 
the  brilliant  but  deadly  conflict,  in  which  skill  and 
generalship  proved  their  superiority  to  numbers.     The 


198        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

battle  raged  until  night,  and  on  the  morning  of  th- 
twenty-third,  was  renewed  with  added  desperation. 
The  history  of  that  day  was  a  succession  of  advances 
and  retreats.  The  enemy  moved  in  three  heavy 
columns  upon  the  American  lines,  turning  their  left. 
But  the  centre  and  right  stood  like  rocks,  repelled  the 
battle-wave,  and  at  length,  drove  the  enemy  back. 
The  Mexican  infantry  on  the  right  were  driven  from 
the  field  and  two  cavalry  charges  were  gallantly 
repulsed.  At  this  stage  in  tlie  action,  Santa  Anna 
massed  his  entire  army  into  one  column  and  threw 
them  with  almost  irresistible  force  upon  the  American 
front.  It  felt  the  shock  severely,  wavered  and  fell 
back  for  a  short  distance,  when  the  artillery  came 
gallantly  to  the  rescue  and  saved  the  day.  On  the 
evening  of  the  twenty-third,  the  opposing  armies 
occupied  nearly  the  same  relative  position  as  in  the 
morning.  But  the  Americans  had  won  a  splendid 
victory,  and  during  the  night  the  Mexicans  retreated. 
They  had  lost  two  thousand  men  in  this  desperate 
conflict.  The  American  loss  was  placed  at  seven 
hundred  and  forty-six. 

General  Taylor,  during  this  battle,  seemed  to  be 
"everywhere  at  the  same  time,  animating,  ordering 
and  persuading  his  men  to  remember  the  day  and 
their  country  and  strike  home  for  both  !  "  When  the 
breast  of  his  coat  w^as  pierced  by  a  canister-shot,  he 
coolly  remarked,  "  These  balls  are  growing  excited." 
"  Throughout  the  action,  he  was  where  the  shot 
fell  hottest  and  thickest,  and  constantly  evinced  the 
greatest  quickness  of  conception,  fertility  of  resource, 
and  a  cool,  unerring  judgment  not  to  be  baffled." 

Deprived    of    the    greater    portion    of    his   troops 


ZACHAEY  TAYLOR.  199 

previous  to  the  action,  surrounded  by  an  army  four 
times  larger  than  his  own,  and  in  the  heart  of  the 
enemy's  country,  he  was  probably  the  only  man,  says 
the  Baltimore  American,  who  would  have  fought  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista ;  the  only  man  probably  who 
could  have  won  it. 

His  humanity  and  kindness  of  heart  were  as  pro- 
nounced as  his  military  genius.  Perhaps  one  of  the 
best  sketches  extant  of  this  hero's  character  was  given 
by  Colonel  Humphrey  Marshall,  of  Kentucky,  in  a 
speech  at  a  barbecue,  tendered  to  the  Kentucky  volun- 
teers. "  If  I  tried  to  express,"  he  said,  "  in  the  fewest 
words,  what  manner  of  man  General  Taylor  is,  I 
should  say  that  in  his  manners  and  apj^earance,  he  is 
one  of  the  common  people  of  this  country.  He  might 
be  transferred  from  his  tent  at  Monterey  to  this  assem- 
bly and  he  would  not  be  remarked  among  this  crowd 
of  respectable  old  farmers,  as  a  man  at  all  distinguished 
from  those  around  him.  Perfectly  temperate  in  his 
habits;  perfectly  plain  in  his  dress;  entirely  unassum- 
ing in  his  manners,  he  appears  to  be  an  old  gentleman 
in  fine  health,  whose  thoughts  are  not  turned  upon 
personal  appearance  and  who  has  no  point  about  him 
to  attract  particular  attention.  In  his  intercourse  with 
men  he  is  free,  frank  and  manly.  He  plays  oflP  none 
of  the  airs  of  some  great  men  whom  I  have  met,  who 
try  to  preserve  their  reputation  by  studied  gravity ;  as 
who  should  say : 

"'I  am  Sir  Oracle: 
When  I  ope  my  mouth  let  no  dog  bark ! ' 

He  is  an  honest  man.    I  do  not  mean  by 

that  merely  that  he  does  not  cheat  nor  lie.    I  mean  that 


200       HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

he  is  a  man  who  never  dissembles  and  who  scorns  all 
disguises.  He  neither  acts  a  part  among  his  friends 
nor  assumes  to  be  what  he  is  not.  .  .  .  He  is  a 
man  of  rare  good  judgment.  .  .  .  He  is  a  firm 
man  and  possessed  of  great  energy  of  character.  .  .  . 
He  is  a  benevolent  man.  ...  No  one  who  had 
seen  him  after  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  as  he  ordered 
the  wagons  to  bring  in  the  wounded  from  the  battle- 
field, and  heard  him  as  he  cautioned  his  own  men 
that  the  wounded  of  the  enemy  were  to  be  treated 
with  mercy,  could  doubt  that  he  was  alive  to  all  the 
kinder  impulses  of  our  nature.  ...  He  was  about 
five  feet  six  inches  high,  very  thick-set  and  slightly 
stoop-shouldered  ;  .  .  .  bad  remarkably  short  legs  in 
proportion  to  the  length  of  his  body,  ...  a  fine 
head,  high  forehead,  keen  penetrating  eye  and  firm, 
compressed  lips ;  .  .  .  his  face  was  almost  always  lit 
up  by  a  benevolent  smile ;  .  .  .  was  extremely  fond 
of  a  joke  and  ever  ready  with  a  witty  repartee,  or  a 
kind  word  for  all  who  addressed  him.  ...  He 
had  an  unconquerable  dislike  for  a  uniform,  and  was 
generally  seen  in  warm  weather  with  a  linen  round- 
about, cotton  pantaloons,  straw  hat,  and  the  celebrated 
brown  overcoat  that  protected  him  during  his  Florida 
campaigns  in  cold  or  rainy  seasons.  .  .  .  The 
most  remarkable  traits  of  General  Taylor's  character 
were  the  wisdom  and  foresight  with  which  he  laid  his 
plans,  the  energy  and  promptness  with  which  he 
executed  them,  and  his  firmness,  decision  and  self-pos- 
session in  the  hour  of  trial.  No  emergency,  however 
sudden,  no  danger,  however  threatening,  and  no  con- 
tingency of  whatever  nature,  were  ever  able  to  throw 
him  off  his  guard.'^ 


ZACHABY  TAYLOR.  201 

And  thus  is  faintly  drawn  the  portrait  of  the  brave 
and  simple  general  whom  his  soldiers  loved  as  few 
commanders  have  been  loved,  and  who  was  lifted  on  a 
vast  tidal  wave  of  popular  enthusiasm  into  the  nation's 
chair  of  State. 

After  Buena  Vista,  he  retired  to  Monterey,  where 
he  remained  until  November,  1847,  when,  growing 
tired  of  a  forced  inactivity,  he  asked  permission  of  the 
government  to  return  to  the  United  States.  He 
reached  his  home  in  Baton  Rouge  towards  the  last  of 
that  month.  His  arrival  in  the  United  States  was  the 
occasion  of  the  wildest  demonstrations  of  joy  and 
enthusiasm  from  the  people.  Assembled  multitudes 
greeted  him  everywhere  with  warm  welcome.  Invita- 
tions poured  in  upon  him  from  town,  city  and  State, 
and  New  Orleans  honored  him  with  bonfires  and  a 
public  procession. 

Before  his  return  from  Mexico,  after  the  battles  of 
Palo  Alto  and  Resaca,  his  name  had  been  proposed  as 
a  presidential  nominee ;  and  after  the  added  renown 
gained  by  Monterey  and  Buena  Vista,  he  became 
at  once  the  most  popular  candidate.  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  first  set  the  example  of  a  formal  nomination  at 
a  meeting  which  convened  irrespective  of  party  prefer- 
ences. These  meetings  soon  became  general  through 
the  United  States,  and  the  nominations  tendered  were 
without  discrimination  from  Whigs,  Democrats  and 
Independents  alike.  "There  seemed,  indeed,  to  be 
almost  one  universal  voice  from  one  end  of  the  Union 
to  the  other,  in  favor  of  his  nomination.''  With  this 
state  of  sentiment,  so  widespread,  his  triumphant 
election  was  a  matter  of  course.  He  was  inaugurated 
President   on    Monday,   March   fifth,   1849,  and    his 


202  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

open^^g  address  was  in  keeping  with  the  man )  full 
of  strength,  simplicity  and  manly  avowal  of  principle. 
But  his  reign,  though  full  of  honor,  was  brief.  On 
July  ninth,  1850,  it  was  ended  by  the  stern  arbitrament 
of  death,  just  as  political  entanglements  of  a  serious 
nature  began  to  manifest  themselves.  The  deep  grief 
of  the  heart-stricken  group  which  gathered  around  the 
dying  hero's  bed,  was  only  less  poignant  than  that 
which  communicated  itself  to  the  nation  at  large:  for 
never,  between  the  days  of  Washington  and  Lincoln, 
has  there  passed  one  so  universally  and  sincerely 
mourned. 

Just  before  dissolution  he  was  asked  if  he  was  com- 
fortable. "  Very,"  he  replied ;  "  but  the  storm,  in 
passing,  has  swe})t  away  the  trunk." 

His  last  words  were,  "  I  have  endeavored  to  do  my 
duty :  I  am  prepared  to  die.  My  only  regret  is  in 
leaving  behind  me  the  friends  I  love."  This  utterance, 
sublime  in  its  simplicity,  the  outspoken  consciousness 
of  a  pure  and  upright  life,  gave  token  of  his  devotion 
to  principle  to  the  last,  and  was  worthy  the  closing 
moments  of  this  patriot  chief. 

A  people's  mourning  lamentations  swept  after  him 
as  his  brave  spirit  parted  company  with  earth. 

"Thus,  clothed  with  many  scars, 
Bursting  these  prison  bars. 
Up  to  his  native  stars 
His  soul  ascended  ! " 

He  sleeps  on  the  immortal  couch  of  the  hero,  draped 
in  the  beloved  flag  of  country,  beneath  whose  starry 
folds  he  fought  so  gloriously.  In  imitation  of  another, 
let  us  reverently  pronounce  the  parting  words.  Glo- 
rious leader !  intrepid  soul !  great  heart !  hail  and  fare- 
well! 


CHAPTER   XV. 
W^ILLIAM    JENKINS    ^^^ORTH. 

Early  Life.— The  War  of  1812.— At  West  Point.— The  Seminole 
War.— With  Taylor  in  Mexico.— At  Monterey.— Given  an  Inde- 
pendent Command.— Description  of  the  Assault.— His  General- 
ship.—Storming  of  Federacion  Hill.— Conducting  the  Capitula- 
tion.—At  Vera  Cruz.— Perote  and  Puebla.— Capture  of  EI 
Molino  del  Key.- Storming  of  Chapultepec— Brevetted  Major- 
General.— Sword  Presentations.— Monument  in  Madison  Square. 

THE  famous  battles  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara  in 
the  war  of  1812,  first  gave  to  the  outside  world 
a  hint  of  the  fine  military  qualities  of  William 
Jenkins  Worth.  He  was  born  in  Hudson,  on  the 
Hudson  River,  of  an  old  English  family,  and  though 
only  eighteen  when  the  war  broke  out,  decided  with- 
out hesitation,  to  enter  the  army.  He  became  private 
secretary  to  ]\fajor-General  Lewis,  who  recommended 
him  to  General  Scott,  and  he  was  thereupon  immedi- 
ately appointed  aide  on  that  officer's  staff. 

In  the  official  report  of  Niagara,  he  received  honor- 
able mention  for  his  bravery,  and  in  August,  1814, 
became  a  captain.  When  the  war,  at  length,  ended, 
he  was  stationed  at  West  Point  for  several  years,  as 
instructor  of  tactics.  He  afterwards  received  the 
appointment  of  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Regiment,  and 
on  the  outbreak  of  the  Seminole  war,  was  ordered  to 
Florida.  His  operations  in  connection  with  the  red 
warriors  of  Osceola  were  so  satisfactory  and  termi- 
nated so  successfully,  that  at  tlie  close  of  the  war, 
13  (203) 


201  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

government  confeiTed  on  him  the  rank  of  brevet 
brigadier-j^enernl. 

When,  in  1846,  Taylor  was  ordered  to  Mexico,  with 
his  "Army  of  Occupation,"  General  Worth  joined 
him  as  second  in  command.  While  opposite  Meta- 
moras  on  the  Rio  Grande,  a  dispute,  regarding  mili- 
tary etiquette,  arose  between  Worth  and  Colonel 
Twiggs,  in  consequence  of  which  Worth  resigned  his 
commission  and  went  to  Washington.  On  arriving 
there  and  learning  that  Taylor's  army  was  in  great 
danger  on  the  Rio  Grande,  he  immediately  asked  per- 
mission to  withdraw  his  resignation  and  return  to  his 
troops.  His  request  being  complied  with,  he  retraced 
his  steps  and  reported  at  General  Taylor's  head- 
quarters, reaching  the  Rio  Grande  just  previous  to  the 
taking  of  Metamoras. 

At  the  siege  and  storming  of  Monterey,  he  was  as- 
signed an  independent  command.  The  difficult  task 
was  given  him  of  storming  the  chain  of  batteries  on 
Federacion  and  Independencia  Hills,  which  he  did 
under  a  terrific  fire — it  being  impossible,  as  he  said, 
to  mask  the  movements  of  the  storming  party.  An 
eye-witness  of  the  scene  thus  speaks  of  it:  "The 
position  General  Worth  then  occupied  might  have 
been  considered  as  critical  as  it  was  dangerous.  Sepa- 
rated from  the  main  body  of  the  army,  his  communica- 
tion cut  off  and  no  possible  route  less  than  eight  miles 
to  retain  it,  with  scanty  supplies  of  provisions  for  four 
days,  surrounded  by  gorges  and  passes  of  the  moun- 
tains, from  whose  summits  belched  forth  shot,  shell 
and  grape,  he  was  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  attacked 
by  an  overwhelming  force  in  the  direction  of  Saltillo, 
which  had  been  reported  to  be  daily  expected 


I 


WJLJIAM  JENKINS    WORTH.  205 

It  was  feared,  too,  from  his  impetuous  naturo,  that  he 
would  rush  his  command  into  unnecessary  danger  by 
some  rash  and  desj^erate  attempt.  But  it  was  not  so. 
He  was  collected,  calm  and  cool,  and  bore  himself  with 
that  proud,  resolute  and  commanding  mien  which  in- 
spired men  and  officers  alike  with  confidence.  He 
never  appeared  better  than  on  that  day;  and  all  felt 
that  with  Worth,  they  were  sure  of  victory.  He  knew 
that  General  Taylor  had  staked  the  issue  of  the  battle 
on  him,  and  he  felt  the  responsibility  that  rested  on 
the  course  he  should  pursue. 

"As  he  surveyed  with   his  glass  the  enemy's  works, 
he  seemed  to  feel  that  not  a  moment  was  to  bo  lost. 
He  saw,  at  once,  that  it  would   be  necessarv  to  carry 
by  storm   the   battery  on   Federacion   Hill,  a^  well   as 
the  fort  called  Soldada— as  these  two  batteries  com- 
manded the  approaches  from  the  Saltillo  road. 
It  was  now  about  twelve  o'clock,  and  the  meridian  sun 
poured  down  its  hottest  rays.      Before   us  stood   the 
steep  and  rugged  hill  about  three  hundred  and  eighty 
feet  high,  whose  slopes  were  covered  with  thick  and 
thorny  chapparal.     A  swarm   of  Mexicans  crowned 
the  height,  while  its  cannon   looked  down  at  us  in 
defiance;     .     .     .     the  men  looked  forward  to  meet 
death  calmly  in  the  face.    .    .     .     General  Worth  rode 
up  as  the  command  moved   off,  and,  pointing  to  the 
height,  said:  ^  Men,  you  are  to  take  that  hill  and  I 
know  you   will    do    it!'      With    one   response   they 
replied,  *  We  ivUi:     .     .     .     The  words  of  Worth  had 
nerved  every  arm,  and  hearts  swelled  with  that  proud 
feeling  of  enthusiasm  which  makes  men  indomitable 
before  the  foe." 

The  streets  of  Monterey   were   heavily   barricaded 


206       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

with  masonry,  and  the  Mexican  troops  fought  from 
the  tops  of  houses,  sheltered  behind  parapets,  piled 
with  sand-bags. 

During  a  cessation  of  hostilities  previous  to  the 
surrender,  Ampudia  met  General  Taylor  at  Worth's 
liead-quarters,  and  AVorth  was  appointed  principal  of 
the  delegation  to  negotiate  the  capitulation.  It  is  said 
he  contributed  more  than  any  other  man  to  a  final 
settlement  of  the  pending  issues.  General  Taylor,  in 
his  re[)ort  of  the  victory,  expresses  his  obligation  for 
the  efficient  aid  rendered  by  Worth  at  this  momentous 
siege. 

General  AVorth  subsequently  took  possession  of 
Saltillo,  where  he  remained  until  the  middle  of 
January,  when  he  was  ordered  to  join  Scott  at  Vera 
Cruz.  An  eye-witness  of  the  brilliant  landing  of  our 
army  on  the  Mexican  coast  says:  "General  Worth, 
certainly  the  most  useful  man  in  command  here,  had 
a  smart  brush  with  a  body  of  Mexicans  last  night 
(March  twelfth)  and  this  morning,  in  which  they  were 
beaten.  A  cemetery,  about  one  mile  from  the  city, 
was  taken  possession  of  and  fortified  by  General 
Worth."  He  "received  the  commendations  of  General 
Scott  and  was  appointed  to  negotiate  the  terms  of  sur- 
render of  Vera  Cruz."  He  was  also  appointed  military 
governor  of  the  city,  but  shortly  afterwarbs  led  his 
army  on  its  march  to  the  capital. 

At  Cerro  Gordo,  he  supported  General  Twiggs  in 
his  attack,  and  in  conjunction  with  him,  captured  the 
redoubt.  On  April  twenty-second  he  marched  upon 
and  captured  the  town  of  Perote,  and  after  chasing 
Santa  Anna  with  fifteen  hundred  lancers  across  the 
l)lains  of  Amasoca,  entered  and  took  possession  of 
Puebla. 


WILLIAM  JENKINS   WORTH.  207 

On  the  seventeenth  of  Angnst,  General  Worth  left 
Puebla  and  renewed  liis  march  to  the  capital.  He 
established  liimself  at  the  hacienda  of  Bnvera,  wliere 
the  enemy's  batteries  0}3ened  upon  him  with  a  hot  fire. 
On  the  twentieth  he  was  ordered  to  aid  in  the  attack 
on  Valencia,  and  subsequently  he  captured  San 
Antonia. 

Following  close  on  these  victories  came  the  brilliant 
capture  of  El  Molino  del  Hey,  an  apparently  impreg- 
nable position,  directly  under  the  guns  and  castle  of 
Chapultepec.  It  was  composed  of  a  group  of  strong 
stone  buildings  adjoining  the  grove  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  on  whose  summit  Chapultepec  stood. 

This  battle  was  fought  and  won  on  the  eighth  of 
September,  1847,  under  the  immediate  command  of 
Major-General  Worth.  The  enemy  was  driven  from 
these  strong  works  by  five  hundred  picked  men  and 
officers,  constituting  an  assaulting  party.  The  slaughter 
was  terrible.  But  no  his/her  exhibition  of  coura^re 
could  be  presented,  than  was  furnished  at  this  desperate 
assault,  by  both  men  and  their  commanders.  A  par- 
ticipator in  the  action  says :  *'  General  Worth  com- 
menced the  attack  at  early  daylight,  and  in  less  than 
two  hours  every  point  was  carried,  all  the  cannon  of 
the  enemy  were  in  our  possession,  an  immense  quantity 
of  ammunition  captured,  and  nearly  one  thousand  men, 
among  them  fifty-three  officers,  taken  prisoners. 

"  For  more  than  an  hour  the  battle  raged  with  a 
violence  not  surpassed  since  the  Mexican  war  com- 
menced, and  so  great  was  the  odds  opposed,  that  for 
some  time  the  result  was  doubtful.  The  force  of  the 
enemy  has  been  estimated  at  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
thousand,  strongly  posted  behind  breastworks,  and  to 


208       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

attack  them  our  small  force  of  scarcely  eight  thousand 
was  obliged  to  approach  on  an  open  plain  and  without 
the  least  cover;  but  their  dauntless  courage  carried 
them  over  every  obstacle,  and  notwithstanding  the 
Mexicans  fought  with  a  valor  rare  for  them,  they  were 
finally  routed  from  one  point  after  another  until  all 
were  driven  and  dispersed.     The  defeat  was  total/' 

On  the  thirteenth  Chapultepec  was  stormed  and 
taken  with  equal  bravery,  General  Worth  and  his 
command  rendering  distinguished  service  in  its  reduc- 
tion ;  thereby  contributing  largely  to  the  victorious 
result  which  placed  in  our  hands  the  ancient  city  of 
the  Montezumas.  For  his  services  in  the  Mexican 
war,  Worth  was  brevetted  major-general  and  received 
swords  from  Congress,  from  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  from  his  native  county.  After  the  war  he  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  "  department  of  the  south- 
v/est,"  which  he  retained  until  his  death  in  1849.  A 
monument  was  erected  to  his  memory  by  the  city  of 
New  York,  in  Madison  Square,  where  it  yet  pro- 
claims the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  great 
metropolis. 


CHAPTER   Xyi. 
JOHN    E.    W^OOL. 

War  of  1812.— Wool's  Volunteer  Corps,— Captaincy  in  the  Thir- 
teenth.—Bravery  at  Queenstown.— Death  of  General  Brock.— 
Battle  of  Plattsburg.— Promoted  for  Gallantry.— Letter  from 
President  Madison.— Another  Promotion.— Mexican  War.— The 
March  to  Monclova.— Capture  of  Parras.— The  Mission  of 
Mercy.— Buena  Vista,— Wool  Entrusted  with  the  Details.— 
Birthplace.— Where  he  Died.— Fortress  Monroe.— Hie  JaceL— 
The  Chief's  War  Horse.— Military  Funeral. 

WHEN  the  first  wave  of  the  war  of  1812  surged 
over  the  land,  Jolin  E.  Wool  was  found  in 
the  patriot  ranks,  assisting  in  raising  and  organizing 
a  volunteer  corps.  Soon  afterwards,  his  efforts  were 
rewarded  by  a  captaincy  in  the  Thirteenth  Infantry. 
At  Queenstown,  in  the  face  of  a  terrible  fire,  he  charged 
and  took  a  battery  that  was  playing  havoc  among  our 
ranks,  and  when  the  British  General  Brock  attempteil 
to  retake  it,  Captain  Wool  tore  down  a  white  flag 
raised  by  one  of  his  men,  and  a  second  time  charged 
and  defeated  their  advancing  ranks  with  conspicuous 
success.  In  this  charge.  General  iirock  fell  a  sacrifice 
to  the  fortunes  of  war. 

During  the  campaign  of  1813,  Wool's  gallantry 
was  so  marked  as  to  win  for  him  the  rank  of  major. 
At  the  battle  of  Plattsburg,  Major  Wool  so  stubbornly 
contested  the  enemy's  advance  on  the  Beekmantown 
road,  and  won  such  encomiums  for  his  beliavior  on  the 
field,  that  he  was  brevetted  lieutenant-colonel.  A  very 
complimeutary  letter  from   President  Madison  accom- 

(209) 


210  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

panied  tlie  announcement,  stating  that  the  rank  was 
conferred  on  account  of  bravery  at  Phittsbnrg. 

After  tlie  close  of  the  war,  he  continued  in  tlie 
military  profession,  doing  service  in  a  variety  of  ways, 
and  in  June,  1841,  was  commissioned  brigadier-general. 
In  the  war  with  Mexico,  he  was  entrusted  with  tiie 
command  of  an  expedition  against  the  provinces,  and 
marched  his  army  over  the  country  to  the  city  of 
Monclova.  Here  he  was  met  by  the  governor,  who 
surrendered  the  place  without  parley.  Soon  afterwards 
General  Taylor  ordered  him  to  move  upon  the  city  of 
Parras,  which  he  reached  on  the  sixth  of  December, 
1846.  The  people  of  this  place  became  so  much 
attached  to  him,  that  on  his  march  to  Saltillo,  the 
ladies  offered  their  services  if  he  would  leave  his  sick 
in  their  care — an  offer  which  they  afterwards  made 
good. 

At  Buena  Vista,  General  Wool  was  placed  in  imme- 
diate command  of  the  troops,  the  details  of  action 
having  been  committed  to  him  by  General  Taylor. 
During  the  progress  of  the  battle,  when  Santa  Anna 
sent  a  message  to  Taylor  desiring  to  know  what  he 
wanted.  General  AVool  was  despatched  to  the  Mexican 
chief  with  the  reply,  and  afterwards  when  the  army 
encamped  at  Walnut  Springs,  three  miles  from  Mon- 
terey, Taylor  gave  the  command  over  to  General  Wool, 
while  he  made  a  visit  to  his  family  in  the  United 
States.  The  greatest  confidence  seems  to  have  been 
rc})osed  in  him,  and  he  was  always  spoken  of  by  his 
chief  in  complimentary  terms. 

Wool  was  born  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  and 
resided  in  the  city  of  Troy,  in  that  State,  from  1812,  or 
earlier,  until  his  death,  which  took  place  at  tlie  close 


JOHN  E.   WOOL.  211 

of  the  last  war.  At  its  outbreak  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  Fortress  Monroe,  soon  after  Major  An- 
derson retired  from  Sumter.  In  the  subsequent  rush 
of  greater  events,  his  star  was  eclipsed  in  the  splendor 
of  other  names  which  loomed  above  the  horizon  of 
war,  and  left  behind  a  path  of  glory.  The  zenith  of 
his  day  had  past  and  little  more  was  heard  of  him 
in  public  life  until  the  ''  hie  jacet^'  was  placed  above 
the  mound  of  earth  beneath  which  he  now  sleeps. 

A  story  is  told  of  the  war  horse  which  General 
Wool  brought  home  from  his  Mexican  campaigning? 
and  which  died  in  Troy.  The  beating  of  drums  or 
firing  of  cannon  always  filled  the  animal  with  excite- 
ment. He  would  prance  and  snort  as  if  he  snuffed 
afar  the  tide  of  coming  battle,  and  was  anxious  to 
meet  it.  At  his  death  the  Trojans  gave  this  modern 
Bucephalus  a  military  funeral  with  all  the  pomp  of 
procession,  and  the  last  mournful  volleys  fired  above 
his  grave.  In  the  busy  rush  and  whirl  of  to-day,  with 
new  generations  constantly  pressing  upon  and  obliter- 
ating old  scenes,  both  horse  and  rider  are  fast  becoming 
only  a  shadowy  remembrance  of  the  past. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 
SAM    HOUSTON. 

Early  History. — Scotch  Ancestry. — Birthplace. — School  Days  in 
the  Forest. — Hard  Work  on  tlie  Farm. — Homer's  Iliad. — Oft'  to 
tlie  Woods. — Among  the  Cherokees. — Military  Service. — The 
Soldier  under  Jackson. — Battle  of  the  Horse-Shoe. — Desperate 
Bravery. — Wounded. — Promotion. — Role  as  a  Lawyer. — Rises 
Rapidly  to  Distinction.— The  Domestic  Cloud. — Return  to  the 
Forest. — Emigration  to  Texas. — Houston  as  General. — Massacre 
of  the  Alamo. — Battle  of  San  Jacinto. — The  Young  Republic  and 
her  President. — Annexation. — In  the  United  States  Senate. — 
Houston  as  Governor. — Last  Days. 

DURING  the  troublous  transition  times  when 
Mexican  perfidy,  trampling  upon  every  sacred 
and  sworn  obligation,  had  steeped  the  Texan  plains  in 
blood,  Sam  Houston,  stalwart  and  strong,  stood  by  the 
side  of  the  young  Texan  Republic,  her  shield  of  defence. 
His  sword  flashed  vengeance  on  her  oppressors,  and 
through  her  he  struck  brave  blows  for  liberty  every- 
where. His  name  became  her  rallying  cry.  He  was 
her  hero,  whom  she  followed  with  an  enthusiasm 
truly  French — her  ruler  whom  she  elected  by  acclama- 
tion. 

His  early  history  was  as  striking  and  romantic  as 
his  after  life.  It  is  the  history  of  the  mountain  stream 
wdiich  begins  alone  among  isolated  peaks,  and  gather- 
ing strength  as  it  rushes  onward  to  the  vast  ocean- 
basin,  at  last  becomes  the  mighty  and  resistless  river. 

The  mountain  current  of  Houston's  blood  began  in 
a  Scotch  ancestry  among  the  followers  of  John  Knox. 
Driven  from  the  Scottish  Highlands  to  the  north  of 
(212) 


SAM  HOUSTON.  213 

Ireland  this  congregation  of  families  emigrated  to 
Pennsylvania  during  the  siege  of  Derry,  and  after- 
wards the  parents  of  Houston  settled  and  married  in 
Virginia. 

Timber  Ridge  Church,  seven  miles  east  of  Lexington 
in  Rockbridge  county,  was  the  birthplace  of  the  future 
hero,  and  time  marked  the  calendar  of  the  auspicious 
event  at  March  second,  1793.  His  father  fought  *in 
the  Revolution  and  held  the  post  of  inspector  of  Gen- 
eral Moore's  Brigade  until  he  died — an  event  which 
took  place  in  1807.  The  death  of  the  father  changed 
the  fortunes  of  the  family,  and  the  brave  and  bereaved 
mother — herself  noble  in  her  intellectual  and  moral 
strength — emigrated  with  her  growing  family  of  boys 
and  girls  to  the  frontier,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  then  the  boundary  line  between  aggressive 
whites  and  the  Cherokee  race  of  Indians. 

The  location  of  this  forest  home,  the  nursery  of  the 
future  hero,  was  not  far  from  Marysville. 

As  for  the  wisdom  of  the  schools — beyond  the 
rudiments  of  reading,  writing  and  ciphering — young 
Houston  acquired  very  little  of  it  before  he  left  Vir- 
ginia, and  in  his  new  and  wild  home  the  facilities  for 
an  education  were  about  as  meagre.  It  was  said  he 
never  entered  a  school-house  before  he  was  eight  years 
old,  and  afterwards,  if  he  evinced  any  literary  taste,  it 
showed  itself  only  in  peculiar  directions,  and  his  efforts 
to  obtain  the  instruction  he  craved  suffered  total 
defeat. 

During  the  most  of  those  young  years  he  was  kept 
hard  at  work,  and  after  the  death  of  the  father  his 
portion  of  labor  became  still  heavier,  in  breaking  and 
tilling  the  virgin  land  of  his  pioneer  home. 


21^  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

About  this  time  an  academy  was  established  in  East 
Tennessee  near  his  mother's  farm,  which  for  a  while  he 
attended.  In  some  way  he  obtained  possession  of  two 
or  three  books — Homer's  Iliad  among  the  number — 
which  he  read  constantly,  with  a  keen  thirst  for 
Knowledge  born  of  long  abstinence.  Indeed,  it  was 
said  he  could  repeat  the  entire  translation  of  the  Iliad 
from  beginning  to  end.  A  desire  to  obtain  some 
knowledge  of  the  primitive  languages  in  which  these 
were  Avritten  led  him  to  ask  the  master's  permission 
to  study  Latin  and  Greek.  He  was  refused — for 
what  reason  we  know  not.  The  refusal  so  incensed 
him  that  he  declared  he  would  never  recite  another 
lesson  while  he  lived,  and  for  ought  that  can  be 
gleaned  of  his  history,  it  seems  very  probable  he  kept 
his  word. 

During  these  boyish  years,  his  elder  brothers  tyran- 
nized over  him  to  the  extent  of  at  last  compelling  him 
to  enter  a  country  dry-goods  store,  and  take  his 
place  behind  the  counter  as  clerk.  But  this  was  the 
feather  which  broke  the  camel's  back,  and  the  young 
and  high-blooded  boy  was  suddenly  missing  from  his 
place.  For  several  weeks  he  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 
The  truth  was  he  had  crossed  the  Tennessee  and  gone 
to  live  among  the  Indians,  and  when  at  last  they  found 
him  and  asked  him  the  reason  of  his  sudden  and 
strange  departure,  he  replied  that  he  "preferred 
measuring  deer-tracks  to  tape,  that  the  wild  liberty  of 
the  red  man  was  more  to  his  liking  than  the  tyranny  of 
his  brothers,  and  that  if  he  could  not  study  Latin  in 
the  Academy,  he  at  least  could  read  a  translation  from 
Greek  in  the  woods,''  and  with  this  message  he  sent 
them  back.    When  at  length,  after  a  prolonged  absence, 


SA3I  HOUSTON.  215 

he  appeared  before  his  mother's  door,  slie  received  him 
kindly,  and  his  worn-out  clothes  were  replaced  by  new 
ones.  For  a  time  everything  went  smoothly,  but  the 
first  act  of  tyranny  on  the  part  of  his  brothers  drove 
him  again  to  his  wild  life  in  the  woods,  from  whence 
he  returned  after  that,  only  once  or  twice  a  year  to  be 
re-fitted  with  the  needed  new  clothes.  This  wild  life 
went  on  until  he  was  eighteen  years  old,  when  by  dint 
of  perseverance  he  obtained  a  school  among  his  pale 
brethren  which  he  taught  for  the  purpose  of  paying 
some  odds  and  ends  of  debt.  These  had  been  con- 
tracted by  purchasing  presents  for  the  Indians  during 
his  semi-occasional  visits  to  the  white  settlements. 
After  the  debt  was  paid  he  shut  up  his  school  and 
went  back  to  his  old  master  with  Euclid  in  his  hands. 
But  the  war  on  the  high  seas  with  Great  Britain  came 
on  apace,  and  in  1813,  a  United  States  recruiting-party 
came  to  Maryville.  Of  course,  as  might  be  supposed, 
this  young  son  of  the  forest  and  of  freedom  enlisted. 
His  mother  did  not  withhold  her  consent.  "There, 
my  son,  take  this  musket,"  said  she,  as  she  gave  him 
the  weapon,  "and  never  disgrace  it;  for  remember  I 
had  rather  all  my  sons  should  fill  one  honorable  grave, 
than  that  one  of  them  should  turn  his  back  to  save 
his  life." 

Perhaps  it  is  not  a  matter  of  w^onder  that  such  a 
woman  should  be  mother  to  such  a  son.  Thus  he 
entered  on  his  career  as  soldier,  and  marched  to  Fort 
Hampton,  in  Alabama.  He  was  soon  promoted  to 
sergeant,  and  after  that  to  ensign,  and  shortly  became 
the  best  drill  in  the  rciriment. 

Returning  to  Knoxville,  he  assisted  in  drilling  and 
organizing  the  Eastern  Battalion  of  the  Thirty-ninth 


21  e  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Regiment  of  Infantry,  and  taking  up  his  line  of  march 
for  the  Ten  Islands,  remained  at  that  encampment 
some  time.  The  regiment  then  went  to  Fort  Williams, 
and  descended  the  river  Coosa  to  To-ho-pe-ka,  where 
General  Jackson  fought  the  celebrated  battle  of  the 
Horse-Shoe,  and  where  young  Houston  so  covered 
himself  with  glory  and  with  wounds.  Tine  Horse- 
Shoe  or  Tohopeka,  was  formed  by  a  bend  of  the  Talla- 
jioosa  Kiver,  and  here,  on  the  twenty -seventh  of  March, 
a  thousand  Creek  Indian  warriors  had  assembled, 
determined  to  stake  all  on  this  last  desperate  struggle 
for  existence.  General  Jackson's  army  of  two  thou- 
sand men  confronted  them,  and  the  battle  was  stub- 
bornly fought.  Here  young  Houston  found  his  first 
opportunity,  and  from  that  bloody  conflict  he  emerged 
a  hero.  He  scaled  the  breastworks  unmindful  of  the 
storm  of  barbed  arrows  falling  about  him  or  the  rat- 
tling musketry.  Right  and  left  he  cut  his  way  among 
the  savages,  leading  in  the  terrible  onset.  An  arrow 
pierced  his  thigh  which  was  pulled  out  after  several 
unsuccessful  efforts,  and  a  stream  of  blood  followed. 
When  the  wound  was  dressed.  General  Jackson  ordered 
him  not  to  re-cross  the  breastworks  to  the  front.  But 
this  was  an  order  which  the  impetuous  young  ensign 
could  not  obey,  and  w^hen  his  general  called  for  a  body 
of  men  to  lead  a  forlorn  hope  and  make  a  last  des- 
perate charge  on  a  concealed  party  of  red  warriors, 
Houston,  waiting  a  moment  for  some  captain  to  lead 
forth  his  company  and  waiting  in  vain,  rushed  forward, 
calling  on  his  platoon  to  follow  him,  though  he  had  to 
charge  the  very  port-holes  bristling  with  a  deadly 
array  of  rifles  and  arrows !  When  rallying  his  men 
within    five   yards   of  the   port-holes,   two   rifle-balls 


SAM  HOUSTON.  217 

received  in  his  right  shoulder  struck  his  arm  powerless 
to  his  side  and  he  sank  to  the  earth.  He  could  do  no 
more.  The  Indians  were  at  last  dislodged  and  the 
battle  was  won.  The  sun  of  the  Creek  Nation  had 
set  in  ruin  and  above  it  gleamed  the  rising  star  of 
young  Houston.  Tlie  army  rang  with  his  praises. 
He  had  been  tried  in  the  hour  of  peril  and  had  not 
been  found  wanting. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  he  recovered  from  his 
dangerous  wounds,  and  when  at  last  peace  was  pro- 
claimed, he  was  retained  in  the  army  as  first  lieutenant, 
being  detailed  on  duty  in  the  adjutant's  office  stationed 
at  Nashville,  from  January  first,  1817.  Here  he 
remained  until  the  following  November,  when  he  was 
sent  by  Jackson  as  Indian  agent  among  the  Cherokees, 
During  the  winter  he  conducted  a  delegation  of  Indians 
to  Washington,  and  found  that  attempts  had  been  made 
to  injure  him  with  the  government,  for  having  pre- 
vented the  smuggling  of  negroes  into  the  Western 
States.  He  vindicated  himself,  but  thought  the  gov- 
ernment gave  a  cold  recognition  of  his  services.  He 
returned  from  Washington,  resigned  his  commission 
and  went  to  Nashville  to  study  law.  This  role  as 
civilian  and  lawyer  was  begun  in  June,  1818,  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  James  Trimble.  He  advanced  rapidly, 
completed  his  studies  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  a 
third  of  the  time  usually  prescribed.  Establishing 
himself  in  Lebanon,  thirty  miles  from  Nashville,  soon 
afterwards,  he  was  appointed  adjutant-general  of  the 
State  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  His  genius  conquered 
everything,  and  with  such  giant  strides  did  he  go  for- 
ward that  in  October  he  was  elected  district-attorney 
of  the  Davidson  District. 


218       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

A  second  time  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Nashville. 
In  the  practice  of  his  profession  he  rose  to  great  and 
sudden  distinction.  In  1821,  he  was  elected  major- 
general  by  the  field  officers  of  the  St  ite,  and  in  1823, 
was  a  candidate  for  Congress,  being  elected  without 
opposition.  In  the  National  Legislature  he  was  re- 
turned by  his  constituency  the  second  time  by  an  almost 
unanimous  vote.  In  1827  he  was  elected  governor  of 
the  State  of  Tennessee  by  a  majority  of  over  twelve 
thousand.  Honors  fell  thick  upon  him,  and  his  per- 
sonal popularity  was  almost  unlimited.  In  January, 
1829,  he  married  a  young  lady  of  respectable  family 
and  gentle  character,  and  in  less  than  three  months 
afterwards  society  was  thrown  into  a  tumult  of  excite- 
ment by  the  announcement  of  their  separation.  Con- 
cerning the  causes  of  this  unhappy  affair,  Houston 
maintained  the  strictest  silence.  To  the  questioning 
of  friends  and  enemies  alike,  he  had  but  one  reply: 
*'This  is  a  painful  but  it  is  a  private  affair,"  he  said. 
^^  I  do  not  recognize  the  right  of  the  public  to  interfere 
in  it,  and  I  shall  treat  the  public  as  though  it  had  never 
happened.  ...  If  my  character  cannot  stand  the 
shock,  let  me  lose  it."  But  the  public  would  not  let 
the  matter  rest,  and  taking  up  arms  for  and  against 
Governor  Houston,  party  spirit  ran  high  and  no  cal- 
umny too  vile  could  be  heaped  upon  his  name  by  the 
pseudo-friends  of  the  lady.  Through  it  all,  Houston 
remained  firm  in  his  silence,  ignoring  all  aspersions  on 
himself  and  never  permitting  a  breath  of  reproach  in 
his  presence  against  the  character  of  her,  whom  he 
had  once  called  wife.  But  at  last  he  sought  escape 
from  the  arrows  of  slander,  and  resigning  his  office  of 
governor,    went  into   voluntary  exile  among   his  old 


SA3f  HOUSTON.  219 

friends,  the  children  of  the  forest.  The  King  of  the 
Cherokees  had  long  ago  adopted  Houston  as  his  son, 
and  now  the  man  who  had  been  elected  to  his  hiirh 
office  by  acclamation — who  had  received  a  people's  ap- 
plause, laid  down  the  sceptre  and  sought  the  wigwam 
of  his  adopted  Indian  sire.  His  friends  parted  from 
him  in  sorrow,  but  they  felt  that  this  was  only  an 
eclipse  of  name  and  fame  from  which  he  would  emerge 
brighter  than  ever.  The  journey  of  the  self-exiled 
governor  was  a  long  one.  Four  hundred  miles  to  the 
northwest  where  the  Falls  of  the  Arkansas  resound, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  the  old  chief's  ample 
wigwam  awaited  the  return  of  his  wandering  son, 
and  the  welcome  given  him  was  said  to  have  been 
touching  in  the  extreme.  Eleven  winters  had  passed 
since  last  they  met. 

For  three  years  w^as  the  future  hero  of  San  Jacinto 
lost  to  the  world,  living  his  wild  forest  life.  Three 
years !  But  he  was  learning  the  wrongs  suffei'ed  by 
his  red  brethren,  the  frauds  of  Indian  agents  who 
cheated  them,  and  he  was  preparing  to  be  their  future 
champion. 

We  must  hurry  over  the  intervening  period  between 
this  life  and  the  life  of  his  future  fame  as  the  great 
liberator  of  Texas  —  the  staunch  champion  around 
whom  her  well-nigh  despairing  sons  rallied  on  a  last, 
desperate  issue.  For  a  year  he  came  forth  from  his 
seclusion  and  boldly  advocated  the  rights  of  the  cheated 
red  men,  at  the  Nation's  gates — achieved  much,  suf- 
fered the  slings  and  arrows  of  slander  aimed  at  his 
lion  heart,  and  when  at  last  his  foes  retired  from  the 
contest  covered  with  defeat,  he  again  sought  the  seclu- 
sion of  the  forest.  Proffered  places  of  honor,  even 
14 


220       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

though  held  out  by  General  Jackson,  no  longer  allured 
him.  The  returning  current  of  praise  which  followed 
the  ebb-tide  of  abuse,  could  not  keep  him  from  his 
firm  purpose  to  pursue  a  quiet  life  on  the  free  prairies. 
He  went  to  Texas  with  the  intention  of  becoming  a 
herdsman.  But  the  people  among  whom  he  came 
ursjed  him  at  once  to  become  their  leader  in  the  conn- 
cils  of  State,  and  a  strange  fate  made  this  gateway  the 
road  to  Texas  free.  His  emigration  to  the  Lone  Star 
State  took  place  in  1832. 

We  pass  in  rapid  review  the  rights  of  Texas  trodden 
down — the  iron  heel  of  Santa  Anna  determined  on 
establishing  a  military  despotism — the  uprising  of  the 
people — their  unanimous  election  of  Houston  as  com- 
mander-in-chief of  their  armies — their  declaration  of 
independence,  March  second,  1836 — and  then  the 
opening  career  of  the  general  on  his  great  mission — 
infusing  strength  and  courage  into  the  handful  of  men 
gathered  around  him — into  the  convention  held  at  the 
seat  of  government,  trembling  lest  they  should  be 
swept  out  of  existence  by  Santa  Anna  sweeping  towards 
them  on  his  dire  purpose  of  extermination.  Then 
follows  the  woeful  slaughter  of  the  Alamo,  and  the 
horrible  massacre  of  Colonel  Fannin's  regiment  of 
seven  hundred  men  at  Goliad,  who,  had  he  obeyed  the 
orders  of  his  general,  would  have  been  saved.  After 
this  the  thrilling  tragedy  of  San  Jacinto  opens,  in 
which  Houston  achieved  by  one  mighty  stroke  the 
independence  of  Texas,  and  hurled  forever  to  its  eter- 
nal doom  Mexican  oppression  and  Mexican  rule.  It 
was  miraculous  that  Houston's  men,  numbering  less 
than  half  as  many  as  Santa  Anna's,  should  not  only 
overwhelm  them  wdth  one  of  the  most  crushing  defeats 


<^-^V'i>'^W,#;''    "'^'■ 


111 

n  '111 


1  li^^vnM 


SAM  HOUSTON.  223 

in  the  history  of  battles,  but  that  bringing  such  havoc 
and  slaughter  to  the  ranks  of  the  foe,  themselves 
escaped  with  the  loss  of  only  seven  men  killed  and 
thirty  wounded.  It  seems  incredible,  yet  it  was  true. 
Eight  hundred  prisoners  had  been  taken — over  six 
hundred  of  the  enemy  had  been  left  dead  on  the  field — 
the  river  of  San  Jacinto  was  choked  with  the  fleeing 
and  drowning  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  multitudes  had 
met  their  fate  in  the  morass  and  bayous.  Besides  two 
hundred  and  eighty  of  the  enemy's  wounded,  only 
seven  are  known  to  have  escaped  from  the  field !  But 
the  Texans  rushed  to  their  work  with  a  desperation 
which  brooked  no  resistance.  They  fought  for  their 
homes,  their  liberties,  and  to  avenge  the  murder  of  their 
dead  companions.  Before  the  battle  came  on,  Houston 
had  addressed  them  eloquently,  and  had  given  them  a 
war  cry  which  fired  them  to  the  highest  pitch  of  des- 
peration. He  had  charged  them  to  remember  the 
Alamo,  and  with  that  cry  on  their  lips  they  rushed  to 
battle.  A  victory  scarcely  without  parallel  in  history 
followed.  Santa  Anna  was  captured,  and  thus  almost 
at  one  stroke  the  chains  were  stricken  from  bleeding 
Texas — her  freedom  was  achieved  and  Houston  was 
the  man  who  had  done  it.  It  passed  into  a  proverb 
that  "  Houston  was  the  only  man  that  could  have  kept 
the  army  in  subjection,  or  achieved  the  independence 
of  Texas,  or  preserved  it  after  it  was  won." 

He  had  come  out  of  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto  with 
a  shattered  ankle,  and  the  wounded  limb  took  him  to 
death's  door.  Not  able  to  obtain  the  necessary  medical 
assistance  in  Texas,  he  was  obliged  to  be  taken  to  New 
Orleans  before  help  could  be  given  him.  He  was  re- 
ceived there  with  crowds  and  music,  though  they  car- 


224       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

ried  him  on  a  litter  from  the  pier.  After  his  recovery, 
ho  returned  once  more  to  his  wilderness  home  and 
found  the  infant  Republic  turbulent  as  a  wild  sea,  with 
party  faction.  It  was  universally  conceded  that  Hous- 
ton was  the  only  man  in  all  Texas  who  could  quell  it. 
He  allowed  his  name  to  be  placed  before  the  people  as 
a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  only  twelve  days  before 
the  elections,  and  he  was  accorded  that  high  place  by 
acclamation.  The  turbulence  of  party  everywhere 
yielded  to  national  enthusiasm,  and  the  hero  of  San 
Jacinto  was  placed  at  the  helm  on  the  Ship  of  State. 
He  was  inaugurated  October  twenty-second,  1836,  and 
his  administration  w^as  a  marvel  of  success.  Out 
of  chaos  he  brought  order,  and  the  majesty  of  law 
took  the  place  of  misrule.  He  conciliated  the  Indians 
and  by  his  wise  forecast  prevented  another  Mexican 
invasion. 

In  no  portion  of  the  world  had  civil  government 
ever  been  established  in  so  short  a  space  of  time.  His 
term  closed  December  twelfth,  1838,  and  by  the  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution  he  could  not  be  elected  for  a 
second  consecutive  term.  The  law  and  order  and 
credit  which  he  had  established,  and  the  peaceful  rela- 
tions which  he  was  fast  bringing  about,  were  all  ruth- 
lessly trampled  upon  by  his  successor.  Anarchy  and 
confusion  took  the  place  of  firm  rule,  and  the  work  of 
Houston's  administration  was  well-nigh  undone.  But 
in  December,  1841,  he  again  took  the  Presidential 
chair  and  once  more  the  people  had  a  goverrmient. 
One  of  his  first  measures  was  to  despatch  a  minister  to 
Washington  to  open  negotiations  for  the  annexation  of 
Texas,  and  it  was  almost  entirely  through  his  wise  policy 
that  the  young  Republic  was  at  length  welcomed  among 


SAM  HOUSTON.  225 

the  band  of  sister  States  and  invited  to  take  her  seat  in 
the  councils  of  the  Nation. 

England  and  France  were  looking  towards  a  foot- 
hold on  this  continent,  and  it  is  believed  that  had  a 
man  less  patriotic  or  less  noble  than  Houston  been  at 
the  head  of  government,  Texas  would  never  have 
held  the  place  she  now  does  in  our  constellation  of  free 
States.  After  the  event  of  annexation,  Houston  was 
sent  to  the  Senate  at  Washington  to  represent  his  State, 
and  held  that  honorable  position  with  such  marked 
ability  as  to  reflect  honor  on  the  nation  and  add  glory 
to  his  own  noble  fame.  He  proved  himself  the  states- 
man as  well  as  the  general.  His  speeches  were  noted 
for  an  earnest  force — a  clear  logic  and  pointedness 
which  ever  won  the  rapt  attention  of  the  auditor.  He 
remained  in  the  Senate  from  1846  to  1859,  and  was 
Governor  of  Texas  from  that  time  until  1861.  He 
opposed  the  secession  movement  and  resisted  the  clamor 
for  an  extra  session  of  the  Legislature.  At  last,  he 
retired  from  office  rather  than  take  the  oath  required 
by  the  State  convention.  He  went  to  his  home  at 
Independence,  Texas,  full  of  honors  and  surrounded 
by  a  halo  of  victory. 

His  private  character  as  husband  and  father  is  quite 
as  captivating  as  his  public  career.  He  might  have 
grown  rich,  had  he  gathered  into  his  hands  the  vast 
domains  which  fell  into  the  possession  of  others  less 
honest  than  himself.  He  might  have  amassed  wealth 
through  Texas  liabilities,  as  did  many  others — but  he 
would  not.  Thomas  H.  Benton  spoke  of  him  in  the 
Senate  as  "frank,  generous,  brave;  ready  to  do  or  to 
suffer  whatever  the  obligations  of  civil  or  military  duty 
imposed,  and  always  prompt  to  answer  the  call  of  honor, 


226       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

patriotism  or  friendship."  He  was  the  founder  of  a 
Kepublic  and  twice  its  President.  He  defeated  the 
trained  armies  of  an  ancient  empire,  captured  its  leader 
and  paralyzed  his  power.  He  was  the  champion 
of  temperance — the  hero  whose  blood  was  spilled  in 
the  cause  of  two  Republics — a  truly  great  man  of  the 
nation,  who  rose  above  party  faction  and  saw  only 
country  and  the  liberties  of  a  people. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 
JAMES    SHIELDS. 

The  Land  of  his  Nativity.— First  Army  Experience —The  Mexi- 
can War-cloud.— Promotion.— The  March  through  Mexico.— At 
Cerro  Gordo.— Brilliant  Achievement.— Wounded  unto  Death.— 
The  Storming  of  Contreras.— Aid  to  Smith.— A  Generous  Piece 
of  Conduct.— Chapultepec.-Under  a  Galling  Fire.— Refuses  to 
Leave  the  Field  thougii  Wounded.— His  Return  to  the  United 
States.— The  War  of  Rebellion.— The  Spring  of  '62.— Defeat  of 
"Stonewall"  Jackson.— Leaving  the  Army. 

GENERAL  JAMES  SHIELDS  was  a  son  of 
Erin's  green  island— the  land  of  the  harp  and 
the  sword,  of  oppression  and  martyrdom,  the  land  that 
has  given  to  the  world  so  many  noble  patriots  and 
illustrious  men.  After  making  this  country  the  home 
of  his  adoption  in  early  life,  we  first  hear  of  him  in  a 
military  capacity  during  the  last  war  with  Great 
Britain.  He  entered  the  American  army  as  second 
lieutenant  of  the  Eleventh  Infantry  and  served  with 
credit  throughout  the  contest.  After  the  war  he  seems 
to  have  dropped  out  of  sight,  but  suddenly  merged 
into  view  again  when  the  Mexican  difficulty  obscured 
our  national  horizon  and  operations  had  commenced 
on  the  Rio  Grande.  Here  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  brigadier-general.  He  joined  the  division  of 
General  Wool  and  made  the  march  through  the  country 
to  Monclova,  where  he  was  detached  to  reinforce  the 
army  of  General  Scott.  His  bravery  at  Vera  Cruz, 
exposed  to  the  heaviest  belching  of  the  cannons' 
thunder,  was  only  surpassed  bv  the  skill  he  displayed 

(227) 


228       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

at  Cerro  Gordo,  which  won  praises  from  General  Scotfc 
and  his  associate  officers.  On  the  enemy's  left,  on  the 
Jalapa  road,  he  succeeded  in  cutting  olf  their  retreat 
and  engaging  them  in  such  a  way  as  to  contribute 
largely  to  the  victory  of  that  day.  In  this  engage- 
ment, while  attacking  a  battery  of  five  pieces,  sup- 
ported by  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry  and  infantry, 
Shields  fell  dangerously  wounded,  with  a  ball  through 
his  lungs.  He  was  borne  from  the  field,  and  Colonel 
Baker,  of  Illinois,  succeeded  to  the  command,  and  led 
his  troops  forward  in  the  successful  attack. 

At  Contreras,  Shields  was  sent  to  a  village  near  by 
to  support  Smith's  brigade.  In  the  night  and  the 
darkness  he  was  obliged  to  conduct  his  troops  througli 
a  rugged  ravine,  difficult  of  passage.  Posting  a  strong 
picket  guard  he  ordered  his  main  force  to  lie  upon 
their  arms  until  midnight.  The  pickets  encountered 
and  drove  back  a  body  of  Mexican  infantry  who  were 
approaching  the  city,  and  Shields  reached  the  encamp- 
ment of  Smith  without  accident.  Smith  had  pre- 
viously matured  his  plans  for  the  capture  of  the  posi- 
tion, which  afterwards  proved  so  brilliant.  Shields, 
however,  as  superior  officer,  arriving  on  the  ground, 
could  have  assumed  command  and  reaped  the  fame  of 
the  subsequent  victory.  But  with  a  rare  magnanimity 
he  refused  to  do  so.  He  intercepted  and  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  enemy  on  the  main  road,  and  so  effectively 
disposed  his  forces  in  the  stubborn  fight,  charged  the 
Mexican  ranks  with  such  intrepidity  and  success  as  to 
put  them  to  utter  rout.  The  flying  foe  was  pursued 
to  the  very  gates  of  the  city. 

On  the  tenth  of  September,  Shields  was  ordered  to 
the  vicinity  of  Cha])ultepcc,  where  a  heavy  cannonading 


JAMES  SHIELDS.  229 

was  kept  up  for  several  clays  until  lie  advanced  to  the 
assault.  Although  severely  wounded  in  the  arm  he 
refused  to  leave  the  field,  and  fought  valiantly  on  in  the 
face  of  the  most  galling  fire.  The  Mexican  fortifica- 
tions, one  after  another,  fell  into  our  hands,  until  at 
length  the  stars  and  stripes  waved  from  the  gateways 
of  Chapultepec  in  triumph.  General  Shields  was 
carried  from  the  field  exhausted,  and  suffering  severely 
from  his  wound.  But  owing  to  a  good  constitution 
his  recovery  was  speedy.  When  his  Mexican  campaign 
terminated,  he  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  did 
not  again  appear  on  the  stage  of  public  life  until  called 
f  )rth  by  the  war  of  Rebellion. 

In  the  spring  of  ]  862  he  distinguished  himself  by  de- 
feating the  famous  Confederate  general,  Stonewall  Jack- 
son, at  the  little  village  of  Kernstown  near  Winchester. 
Shields  marched  his  soldiers  up  from  the  Shenandoah 
to  Fredericksburg,  where  General  Augur  was  at  that 
time  stationed,  and,  hearing  that  Jackson  was  in  the 
valley,  he  faced  about  and  marched  back  again  to  meet 
the  veteran  rebel  hero.  It  was  Jackson's  first  defeat, 
and  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  his  force  was  double 
that  of  Shields,  he  was  for  once  handsomely  whipped, 
and  went  flying  before  our  pursuing  troops.  But 
Shields  followed  Jackson  too  far  and  rashly  placed  his 
army  in  jeopardy.  For  this  he  received  severe  censure, 
and  after  that  memorable  day  seems  to  have  disap- 
peared almost  mysteriously  from  the  public  gaze  and 
the  army. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
CHARLES    MAY, 

Colonel  May  a  Native  of  Washington.— Commissioned  a  Lieutenant 
by  President  Jackson.— Ordered  to  Florida.— Participates  in  the 
Capture  of  the  Indian  Chief  Philip.— Opening  of  the  Mexican 
War.— Joins  General  Taylor. — Co-operates  with  Captain  Walker. 
-Famous  Charge  at  Eesaca  de  la  Palnia.— Gallant  Conduct  at 
Buena  Vista.— Returns  to  the  United  States. 

THE  name  of  Colonel  Charles  May  will  ever  be 
associated  with  the  gallant  heroes  who  under  the 
leadership  of  Scott  and  Taylor  won  undying  laurels 
on  the  plains  of  Mexico.  For  courage,  intrepidity  and 
impetuosity  in  battle  no  man  in  the  American  army 
was  superior  to  Colonel  May.  His  dragoon  fights 
along  the  Rio  Grande,  his  charge  at  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  and  his  heroic  conduct  at  Buena  Vista  have 
rarely  been  surpassed,  and  have  won  for  him  a  reputa- 
tion as  brilliant  as  any  that  adorn  the  pages  of 
S])artan  warfare. 

But  little  is  known  of  May^s  early  life  except  thnt 
he  was  a  native  of  the  city  of  Washington,  and  son  of 
Dr.  May.  He  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  in 
the  Second  Regiment  of  Dragoons  by  President  Jack- 
son, and  ordered  to  Florida.  His  duties  were  most 
arduous  in  these  campaigns  against  the  red  men  of 
the  everglades,  and  it  is  recorded  that  he  was  fore- 
most among  those  who  captured  the  famous  Indian 
chief  Philip. 

When  General  Taylor  marched  into  Texas  with  his 
army   of  observatioii,    and    matters    were    wearing   a 
(230) 


CHARLES  MAY.  231 

hostile  appearance,  Captain  May  joined  him  with  a 
company  of  dragoons  and  aided  in  the  defence  of  Point 
Isabel.  Co-operating  with  the  gallant  Captain  Walker, 
he  was  stationed  between  that  place  and  Taylor's 
advance  camp  with  instructions  to  keep  the  communi- 
cation open  if  possible.  This  service  was  perilous; 
but  May's  bravery  and  rapid  movements  overcame  all 
obstacles. 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  April,  1846,  he  ascertained 
that  a  large  force  of  Mexicans  intended  to  surround 
General  Taylor's  camp,  and  at  once  set  out  with  his 
dragoons  to  communicate  with  the  general.  After 
proceeding  twelve  miles,  he  encountered  fifteen  hun- 
dred of  the  enemy  under  the  immediate  command  of 
Santa  Anna.  Most  of  his  men  being  inexperienced, 
fell  back  at  the  appearance  of  such  an  overwhelming 
opposition.  The  few  that  remained  around  their  bold 
commander  firmly  received  the  attack  of  the  Mexicans, 
and  gave  them  battle  for  upwards  of  half  an  hour. 
They  then  retreated,  and  were  pursued  to  within  a 
mile  of  Point  Isabel.  It  was  reported  that  May  was 
slain,  but  at  night  he  came  into  the  fort,  and  with  that 
indomitable  spirit  for  which  he  was  distinguished,  at 
once  offered  to  communicate  with  General  Taylor, 
provided  he  could  have  four  men  as  his  companions. 
This  proposition,  under  such  circumstances,  with  the 
enemy  in  force,  and  lurking  in  every  path  and  thicket, 
was  considered  rash.  But  six  Texans  volunteered,  and 
after  several  bold  adventures,  in  one  of  which  they 
charged  through  a  large  body  of  Mexican  lancers,  they 
reached  the  camp  of  General  Taylor  on  the  thirtieth. 

In   consequence  of  the   information  thus  received, 
General  Taylor  marched   from  camp  on  the  first  of 


232  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

May,  and  reached  Point  Isabel  the  day  after.  On  the 
third,  the  Mexicans  commenced  a  bombardment  of  the 
river  fort.  Anxious  to  know  how  Major  Brown 
sustained  this  attack,  the  general  despatched  Captain 
May,  with  one  hundred  dragoons,  assisted  by  Captain 
Walker  and  six  rangers,  for  the  purpose  of  opening 
communications.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
May  started,  and  just  after  night-fall  came  in  sight  of 
Arista's  camp-fires.  Though  the  whole  Mexican  army 
was  before  him  he  manoeuvred  so  skilfully  as  to 
escape  observation,  pass  around  its  front,  and  find 
ambush  in  some  thick  chaparral  a  few  miles  from  the 
fort.  Captain  Walker  was  then  sent  forward  to  the 
fort,  with  instructions  to  note  particularly  any  force 
he  might  observe  along  the  road.  He  reached  his 
destination  without  accident,  while  May  and  his  troops 
remained  waiting  in  their  saddles.  Owing  to  several 
unforeseen  causes.  Walker  was  unable  to  rejoin  May 
that  night,  and  daylight  approaching,  the  latter 
returned  to  Point  Isabel. 

The  victory  achieved  by  General  Taylor  at  Resaca 
de  la  Pal  ma,  was  perhaps  more  largely  due  to  the 
part  performed  by  Captain  May  than  that  of  any  other 
officer.  The  battle  had  continued  for  some  time  with- 
out any  decided  advantage  to  the  Americans,  and 
General  Taylor  perceived  that  the  enemy  could  not 
be  driven  from  his  position  until  his  artillery  was 
silenced.  He  therefore  ordered  Captain  May,  who 
was  stationed  in  the  rear,  to  report  himself  for  duty. 
May  soon  appeared  with  his  dragoons,  and  was  directed 
to  charge  and  capture  the  Mexican  batteries  at  what- 
ever sacrifice.  After  exhorting  his  men  to  remember 
their  regiment,  the  captain  pointed  towards  the  bat- 


CHARLES  MAY.  235 

teries  and  bade  them  follow.  Striking  spurs  into  his 
horse,  he  dashed  forward,  followed  by  his  command 
in  column  of  fours. 

On  arriving  at  the  post  occupied  by  Ridgely  and 
his  brave  cannoneers,  May  hahed  to  learn  the  position 
of  the  Mexican  batteries.  Knowing  the  danger  at- 
tending a  charge  upon  their  pieces  when  loaded, 
Ridgely  desired  him  to  wait  until  he  drew  the  fire  of 
their  batteries.  He  suddenly  applied  the  match,  and 
before  the  reverberation  of  his  pieces  had  died  away, 
the  enemy  replied,  their  shot  sweeping  like  hail 
through  his  ranks. 

Instantly  tlie  squadron  of  dragoons  sprung  forward. 
May  in  the  advance,  with  his  long  hair  streaming 
behind  like  the  rays  of  a  comet.  The  earth  shook 
beneath  the  iron  hoofs  of  their  chargers,  and  the  rays 
of  the  tropical  sun  flashed  back  in  flame  from  their 
burnished  sabres  as  they  swept  along,  cheered  by  a 
shout  of  exuhation  from  the  artillerists  and  infantry. 
"Still  foremost,  May  reached  at  length  the  batteries 
in  the  road,  and  upon  the  right  of  it;  and  as  his  steed 
rose  upon  the  Mexican  breastworks,  he  turned  to  wave 
on  his  men  to  the  charge.  Closely  pressing  upon  him 
was  Lieutenant  Inge,  who  answered  to  the  challenge 
with  a  shout,  and  turned  in  like  manner  to  encourage 
his  platoon,  when  a  terrible  discharge  of  grape  and 
canister  from  the  upper  battery  swept  down  upon  them, 
and  dashed  to  the  earth,  in  mangled  and  bloody  masses, 
eighteen  horses  and  seven  men ;  among  them  the 
gallant  Inge  and  his  charger.  May's  steed  at  a  bound 
cleared  the  batteries,  followed  by  Lieutenant  Stevens, 
and  tlie  survivors  of  the  First  and  Second  platoons* 
Their  ini[)etus  carried  them  through  and  beyond  the 


236        HEROES  OF   THREE  WARS. 

batteries,  when  cluirging  back,  they  drove  the  enemy 
from  the  g«ns  and  silenced  their  fire.  Captain  Gra- 
Iiani,  and  Lieutenants  AVinship  and  Pleasanton,  Avith 
the  Third  and  Fourth  platoons,  in  the  meantime  swept 
to  the  left  of  the  road,  and  at  the  point  of  the  sword 
carried  the  battery  situated  there. 

^'  Perceiving  the  small  force  by  which  they  were 
assailed,  the  Mexicans  recovered  from  their  panic,  and 
rushing  back  to  the  batteries,  prepared  to  fire  them. 
Gathering  around  him  a  few  followers.  May  charged 
upon  them  w^ith  irresistible  force,  while  the  terror- 
stricken  enemy  shrunk  back  from  the  blows  of  his 
sword,  which  descended  with  a  flash  and  force  like 
that  of  lightning.  An  intrepid  officer,  however,  kept 
his  place,  and  endeavored  to  rally  his  men.  With  his 
own  hands  he  seized  a  match  and  was  about  to  apply 
it,  when  he  was  ordered  by  Captain  May  to  surrender. 
Finding  himself  without  support,  he  acknowledged 
himself  a  prisoner,  and  handed  his  sword  to  his  gallant 
captor.  It  was  General  Vega,  a  brave  and  accom- 
plished officer. 

^*  The  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries  was  silenced,  but 
a  terrible  struggle  now  commenced  for  their  possession. 
The  Fifth  Infantry,  under  the  brave  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Mcintosh,  though  separated  into  detachments  by 
the  chaparral,  rushed  on  through  a  sweeping  fire  of 
musketry,  and  at  length  crossed  bayonets  with  the 
army  over  the  cannon-muzzles.'^ 

At  Buena  Vista,  Colonel  May  was  associated  with 
Captain  Pike's  squadron  of  Arkansas  cavalry,  and 
rendered  good  service  in  holding  the  enemy  in  cheek, 
and  covering  batteries  at  several  ]>oints.  Extracts  from 
his  report  will  show  the  nature  of  these  duties. 


CHARLES  MAY.  237: 

"  Before  the  squadron  of  the  First  Dragoons  could 
be  recalled,  it  had  gone  so  far  up  the  ravine  as  to  be 
in  close  range  of  the  enemy's  artillery.  It  was  thus, 
for  a  short  time,  exposed  to  a  severe  fire,  which  resulted 
in  the  loss  of  a  few  men.  The  other  two  squadrons 
and  the  section  of  artillery  were  in  the  meantime  j)laced 
in  motion  for  Buena  Vista,  where  a  portion  of  our 
supplies  were  stored,  and  against  which  the  enemy  w^as 
directing  his  movements.  Lieutenant  Eucker  joined 
me  near  the  rancho,  and  in  time  to  assist  me  in  check- 
ing the  heavy  cavalry  force,  wdiich  was  then  very  near 
and  immediately  in  our  front.  A  portion  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry,  amounting,  perhaps,  to  two  hundred 
men,  not  perceiving  my  command,  crossed  the  main 
road  near  to  the  rancho,  and  received  a  destructive  fire 
from  a  number  of  volunteers  assembled  there.  The 
remaining  heavy  column  was  immediately  checked, 
and  retired  in  great  disorder  towards  the  mountains  on 
our  left,  before,  however,  I  could  place  my  command 
in  position  to  charge.  Being  unable,  from  the  heavy 
clouds  of  dust,  to  observe  immediately  the  movements 
of  the  body  of  cavalry  which  had  passed  the  rancho,  I 
followed  it  up,  and  found  it  had  crossed  the  deep  and 
marshy  ravine  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and  was 
attempting  to  gain  the  mountains  on  the  right.  I 
immediately  ordered  Lieutenant  Reynolds  to  bring  his 
section  into  battery,  which  he  did  promptly,  and  by  a 
few  well-directed  shots,  dispersed  and  drove  the  enemy 
in  confusion  over  the  mountains.  I  next  directed  my 
jittention  to  the  annoying  column  which  had  occupied 
so  strong  a  position  on  our  left  flank  and  rear  during 
the  whole  day,  and  immediately  moved  my  command 
to  a  position  whence  I  could  use  my  artillery  on  the 


238  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

masses  crowded  in  the  ravines  and  gorges  of  the  moun- 
tains. As  I  was  leaving  the  raneho,  I  was  joined  by 
about  two  hundred  foot  volunteers,  under  Major 
Gorman,  and  a  detachment  of  Arkansas  mounted 
volunteers,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Roane.  Believ- 
ing my  command  now  sufficiently  strong  for  any  con- 
tingency wliich  might  arise,  I  advanced  it  steadily 
towards  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  to  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  position  occupied  by  the  enemy. 
I  then  directed  Lieutenant  Reynolds  to  bring  his 
section  again  into  battery;  and  in  the  course  of  half  an 
hour,  by  the  steady  and  destructive  fire  of  his  artillery, 
the  enemy  was  forced  to  fall  back.  This  advantage  I 
followed  up;  in  doing  which  I  was  joined  by  a  section 
of  artillery  under  Captain  Bragg.  My  command  still 
continued  to  advance,  and  the  enemy  to  retire.  We 
soon  gained  a  position  where  we  were  able  to  deliver  a 
destructive  fire,  which  caused  the  enemy  to  retreat  in 
confusion.  While  the  artillery  was  thus  engaged,  by 
order  of  General  Wool,  I  steadily  advanced  the  cavalry ; 
but  owing  to  the  deep  ravines  which  separated  my 
command  from  the  enemy,  I  was  unable  to  gain 
ground  on  him.  The  enemy  having  been  thus  forced 
to  abandon  his  position  on  our  left  and  rear,  I  was 
again  directed  to  assume  a  position  in  supporting  dis- 
tance of  Captain  Sherman's  battery,  which  occupied  its 
former  position,  and  against  which  the  enemy  seemed 
to  be  concentrating  his  forces.  After  having  occupied 
this  position  some  time,  the  general-in-chief  directed 
me  to  move  my  command  up  the  ravine  towards  the 
enemy's  batteries,  and  to  prevent  any  further  advance 
on  that  flank.  This  position  was  occupied  until  the 
close  of  the  battle,  the  enemy  never  again  daring  to 


CHARLES   jMAY.  239 

attempt  any  movement  towards  our  rear.  The  cavalry, 
except  Captain  Pike's  squadron,  which  was  detached 
for  picket  service  on  the  right  of  the  road,  occupied, 
during  the  night  of  the  twenty-third,  the  ground  near 
where  I  w^as  directed  last  to  take  my  position  before 
the  close  of  the  battle.  Finding  on  the  morning  of 
the  twenty-fourth,  that  the  enemy  had  retreated,  I  was 
joined  by  Captain  Pike's  squadron,  and  ordered  in 
pursuit." 

Colonel  May  returned  to  the  Unite<l  States  soon 
after  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  where  he  remained 
several  weeks.  The  fame  of  his  daring  achievements 
had  preceded  him,  and  he  was  everywhere  welcomed 
as  a  representative  of  the  gallant  ones  with  whom  he 
had  battled  in  Mexico. 


PAET  THIED. 


^\xt  M^r  for  tlu  MnUn, 


SUBJECTS: 

Chapter  Page 

XX.  ULYSSES  S.  GRANT 245 

XXL  WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN 263 

XXIL  PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN 278 

XXIIL  GEORGE  BRINTON  McCLELLAN 287 

XXIV.  AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSIDE 298 

XXV.  GEORGE  HENRY  THOMAS 304 

XXVL  JOSEPH  HOOKER 314 

XXVIL  GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE 326 

XXVIII.  HENRY  WARNER  SLOCUM 332 

XXIX.  JAMES  BIRDSEYE  McPHERSON 337 

XXX.  WINFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK 347 

XXXL  JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT 352 

XXXII.  OLIVER  OTIS  HOWARD 357 

XXXIIL  DAVID  GLASCOE  FARRAGUT 361 

XXXIV.  FRANZ  SIGEL 368 

XXXV.  HUGH  JUDSON  KILPATRICK 375 

XXXVL  PHILIP  KEARNY 387 

XXXVIL  NATHANIEL  LYON 391 

XXXVIII.  ELMER  EPHRAIM  ELLSWORTH 396 

XXXIX.  EDWARD  DICKINSON  BAKER 407 

(241) 


^»i  THE  « 


CHAPTER   XX. 
ULYSSKS  S.  GRANT. 

The  Grants  of  the  Early  Scotch  Monarchy. — Family  Crests. — 
Direct  Ancestry. — Boyhood. — Feats  of  Horsemanship. — Loading 
Wood. — Old  "  Dave  "  and  Young  Ulysses. — At  West  Point. — 
Experience  in  Mexican  War. — Marriage. — Resigns  His  Com- 
mission.— In  the  Leather  Business. — Beginning  of  Last  War. — 
Recruiting  a  Company. — Battle  of  Belmont. — Cairo  Expedition. 
— Fort  Donelson.  —  Shiloh. —  Vicksburg. —  Chattanooga. —  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  Lookout  Mountain. — Opinions  of  a  Sachem. 
— The  Last  Campaign. —  Lee's  Surrender.  —  Elected  and  Re- 
elected President. 

r  j^HE  occasion  often  creates  the  man,  but  the  man 
JL  who  masters  the  occasion  is  born,  not  made. 
Many  are  pushed  to  the  surface  momentarily,  by  the 
pressure  of  events,  and  then  subside  into  common 
levels;  but  he  is  the  true  commander  during  a  crisis, 
who  can  wield  the  waves  of  difficulty  to  advantage  and 
be  a  sure  pilot  amid  the  on-rush  of  events,  when  they 
thicken  and  deepen  into  a  prolonged  struggle. 

When,  during  the  late  war,  our  country  needed  a 
leader  to  face  and  quell  the  threatened  danger  of  dis- 
union and  conduct  her  armies  to  successful  issues,  and 
when  government  intrusted  those  momentous  issues  to 
Ulysses  S.  Grant,  "the  man  and  the  moment  had  met'' 
— the  occasion  had  found  its  master. 

Napoleon  said  that  the  most  desirable  quality  of  a 
good  general  was  that  his  judgment  should  be  in 
equilibrium  with  his  courage.     To  no  commander  of 

(245) 


246       HEROES   OF    THREE    WARS. 

modern  times  could  this  rule  apply  with  more  force 
than  to  Grant.  A  man  of  no  outward  clamor  of 
character — no  hint  of  bluster  or  dash — quiet-voiced, 
self-controlled,  but  not  self-asserting,  he  yet  displayed 
vast  power  as  an  organizer,  as  a  tactician,  and  in  mas- 
terly combinations  of  large  forces  so  as  to  produce  the 
most  telling  effects.  It  has  been  truly  said  of  him  that 
no  general  ever  stamped  his  own  peculiar  character 
upon  an  army  more  emphatically  than  did  Grant  upon 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  It  was  the  only  large 
organization  which,  as  a  whole,  never  suffered  a  defeat 
during  the  war.  It  was  noted  for  its  marvellous  per- 
sistence— its  determined  fighting  qualities — and  had 
the  reputation  of  being  sure  to  win  any  battle  that 
lasted  over  a  day,  no  matter  what  the  odds  against  it. 
It  was  at  Grant's  recommendation  that  a  united  com- 
mand was  concentrated  in  the  Mississippi  Valley — 
which  concentration  has  since  been  acknowledged  to  be 
the  basis  of  all  our  subsequent  victories. 

Generosity,  mildness,  and  kind-heartedness  shone  as 
conspicuously  in  Grant's  character  as  his  firmness  and 
great  generalship.  Simplicity  of  manner  and  kindness 
of  heart  are  always  characteristic  of  the  true  hero. 

"  The  bravest  are  the  tenderest, 
The  loving  are  the  daring." 

The  rapid  and  bold  descent  upon  Fort  Donelson,  the 
unconquerable  determination  exhibited  at  Shiloh,  the 
brilliant  capture  of  Yicksburg  and  the  high  military 
science  displayed  at  Chattanooga  Valley,  Lookout 
Mountain,  and  Missionary  Ridge — these  have  never 
been  surpassed  in  military  history,  in  splendor  of  exe- 
cution, or  judiciousness  of  combination. 


ULYSSES  S.  GRANT.  247 

It  is  not  known  with  certainty  whether  the  family 
of  Grants  originated  in  Scotland,  Denmark,  or  France. 
The  balance  of  evidence,  however,  goes  to  show  that 
they  were  Norman  and  came  over  with  William  the 
Conqueror  in  1066.  In  the  early  days  of  the  Scotch 
monarchy,  they  became  noted  as  a  powerful  clan. 
Gregory  Grant  w^as  ^'Sheriff  Principal"  of  Inverness, 
between  1214  and  1249.  At  ^'Halidoun  Hill,"  1333, 
John  Grant  commanded  the  right  wing  of  the  Scotch 
army.  They  came,  originally,  from  the  Strathspey 
country,  noted  for  its  forests  of  fir  and  lovely  scenery. 
A  certain  Lieutenant-General  Francis  Grant  was  buried 
in  Hampshire,  England,  December  second,  1781.  On 
his  monument  was  carved  the  family  crest,  representing 
a  mountain  peak  burning.  It  bore  the  motto,  ^'  Stead- 
fast." Another  crest  of  the  Grants  had  four  burning 
})eaks  and  the  mottos,  ^^  Stand  sure ;  stand  fast ;  Craig 
Ellachie."  On  yet  another  one,  an  oak  was  sprouting 
under  the  full  blaze  of  the  sun.  Its  accompanying 
motto  was,  "AYise  and  harmless."  The  crest  of  Grant 
of  Leith  was  a  rock:  motto,  "Immobile."  Grant  of 
Grant  had  the  burning  mount  and  the  motto  "Stand 
sure."  During  the  Sepoy  rebellion  in  India,  there  was  a 
Highland  regiment  composed  almost  entirely  of  Grants, 
whose  colors  bore  the  ancient  motto,  "Stand  fast,  Craig 
Ellachie."  These  legends  are  supposed  to  express  a 
leading  characteristic  of  the  clan,  and  their  resem- 
blance to  some  of  the  traits  of  our  latter  day  Ulysses  is 
somewhat  striking  when  looked  at  in  the  light  of 
heredity. 

The  great-grandfather  of  Ulysses  was  Captain  Noah 
Grant,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  White  Plains, 
during  the  French  and   Indian  wars,  in  1776.     His 


248        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

grandfather,  Noah  Grant,  Jr.,  fought  at  Lexington  as 
lieutenant  of  militia,  and  afterwards,  during  the  devo- 
lution. His  father,  Jesse,  emigrated  from  Pennsylva- 
nia to  Ohio,  and  was  married  at  Point  Pleasant,  Ohio, 
June,  1821,  to  Hannah  Simpson,  whose  father  was  also 
from  the  Keystone  State.  Ulysses  was  born  the  fol- 
lowing year,  April  twenty-seventh,  1822. 

There  w^as  something  of  a  contest  over  liis  baptismal 
name;  one  suggested  Theodore;  his  young  mother 
preferred  Albert;  his  grandfather  thought  Hiram 
would  be  the  proper  cognomen,  but  his  step-grand- 
mother— a  great  reader  and  admirer  of  the  Homeric 
Ulysses — triumphed  with  the  name  of  the  Grecian 
hero,  little  dreaming  that  it  would  one  day  also  become 
the  name  of  an  American  hero,  scarcely  less  illustrious. 
His  earliest  feats  were  connected  with  horsemanship. 
At  six  years  of  age  he  was  a  good  rider,  at  ten  a  skilful 
driver,  doing  full  work  in  hauling  wood,  carrying  loads 
of  leather  to  Cincinnati  from  his  father's  tannery  and 
bringing  passengers  back  to  Georgetown,  where  the 
family  then  lived.  At  twelve,  he  rode  horses  at  full 
speed,  standing  upon  their  backs  and  balancing  himself 
by  the  bridle  reins.  An  incident  is  related  of  these 
early  years  in  connection  with  a  trained  circus  pony, 
which  the  young  Ulysses  was  invited  to  ride  by  the 
facetious  clown,  in  the  full  expectation  that  he  would 
be  thrown.  But  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  dismount 
him,  by  both  pony  and  clown,  the  boy  rode  on ;  as  a 
last  resort,  a  trained  monkey  was  let  loose  upon  his 
shoulders,  but  without  effect:  the  boy  continued  to 
ride,  quietly  victorious,  wearing  the  same  undisturbed 
expression  for  which  he  was  afterwards  noted  in  battle. 
He  was  always  of  a  peaceable  and   even  dispositionj 


ULYSSES  S.  GRANT.  249 

evinced  great  calmness  and  presence  of  mind,  and  was 
full  of  quiet  resolution  and  persistence. 

From  childhood,  he  developed  rare  judgment  and 
was  decidedly  a  boy  of  resources.  In  illustration  of 
this,  a  story  is  told  of  his  loading  a  wagon  with  logs, 
any  one  of  which  would  have  been  a  heavy  lift  for 
twenty  men.  He  accomplished  the  unusual  feat  by  the 
aid  of  a  big  horse  called  "Dave,"  and  a  tree  which  had 
fallen  across  a  stump,  with  one  end  resting  on  the 
ground.  Ulysses  had  hitched  his  horse  to  the  logs, 
])ulled  the  ends  over  the  fallen  tree,  and  after  backing 
the  wagon  under  them,  used  "Dave,"  on  the  lever  prin- 
ciple, to  haul  them  one  at  a  time,  on  the  wagon.  Here 
was  a  hint  of  the  engineering  brain  which  afterwards 
compassed  such  well-laid  plans  for  the  direction  and 
movements  of  a  vast  army.  And  here,  also,  we  find 
another  illustration  of  the  rule  that  "the  boy  is  father 
to  the  man."  At  eighteen,  Ulysses  obtained  an  appoint- 
ment as  cadet  at  the  West  Point  Military  Academy 
through  Mr.  Hamer,  who,  knowing  that  his  mother's 
name  was  Simpson,  sent  in  his  application  as  Ulysses  S. 
Grant.  This  accounts  for  the  superfluous  middle  letter 
which  his  fellow-students  construed  into  "Sam,"  mak- 
ing, with  his  first  initial  letter,  the  nick-name,  "Uncle 
Sam,"  by  which  he  was  familiarly  known. 

He  graduated  in  1843,  ranking  twenty-first  in  a 
class  of  thirty-nine.  He  could  easily  have  taken  a 
higher  grade,  had  he  thought  it  worth  the  extra  trou- 
ble. He  excelled  in  mathematics  and  all  military 
exercises,  and  surpassed  nearly  all  his  classmates  in 
horsemanship  and  cavalry  drill.  He  never  violated 
rules,  submitted  readily  to  discipline,  never  was  in- 
duced to  taste  liquor  of  any  sort,  was  noted  for  his 


250        HEROES   OF  THREE    WARS. 

gentleness  of  disposition  united  to  great  firmness,  and 
was  reputed  to  be  "  tender-hearted  "  to  a  rare  degree. 
In  1845,  when  Taylor  was  sent  to  Mexico,  Grant,  as 
second  lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  Regular  Infantry, 
accompanied  the  "army  of  occupation."  He  fought 
in  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Palo  Alto  and  Monterey: 
was  transferred  to  Scott's  army,  and  participated  in  the 
brilliant  campaign  beginning  with  Vera  Cruz  and 
ending  with  the  City  of  Mexico.  At  the  storming  of 
Chapultepec  he  took  command  of  a  mountain  howitzer 
with  such  decided  skill,  and  otherwise  so  distinguished 
himself  that  he  was  brevetted  captain.  In  1848,  he 
married  Julia  T.  Dent,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  sister  of 
one  of  his  classmates.  He  was  soon  after  stationed  at 
Detroit,  from  whence  he  was  transferred  to  Sackett's 
Harbor,  and  in  1852,  accompanied  an  expedition  to 
Oregon,  where  he  received  his  full  captain's  commis- 
sion. In  1853,  he  resigned  and  took  up  his  residence 
on  a  small  farm  near  St.  Louis.  About  this  time  he 
received  a  proposition  from  his  father  to  become  a 
]mrtner  in  his  leqthAv  business,  and  went  at  once  to 
Galeup^,  Illinois,  (vliere  the  firm  of  "Grant  and  Son, 
Leather  Dealers,"  was  established.  This  was  in  1859. 
Two  years  later,  when  the  guns  of  Fort  Sumter  echoed 
over  the  nation,  he  dropped  everything,  at  once  re- 
cruited a  company,  and  tendered  it  to  the  governor. 
He  assisted  in  organizing  the  State  quota,  but  when 
Governor  Yates  proposed  to  send  his  name  to  Wash- 
ington for  a  brigadier-generalship,  Grant  declined  the 
doubtful  honor,  saying  he  "  did  not  ask  promotion — he 
wanted  to  earn  it."  In  June  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  colonel  to  the  Twenty-first  regiment,  and  was 
ordered  to  Missouri.    In  August,  being  made  brigadier- 


ULYSSES  S.   GRANT.  251 

general,  he  was  assigned  to  the  Cairo  district.  Taking 
possession  of  Paducah,  which  he  regarded  as  a  strong 
strategic  point  for  future  movements,  he  issued  a  pro- 
clamation to  the  citizens  in  which  he  said  :  "  I  have 
nothing  to  do  with  opinions,  and  shall  deal  only  with 
armed  rebellion  and  its  aiders  and  abettors/'  Deter- 
mined to  break  up  the  enemy's  camp  opposite  Columbus, 
he  projected  an  expedition  down  the  river,  and,  as  a 
result,  on  the  seventh  of  November  the  battle  of  Bel- 
mont was  fought.  In  a  congratulatory  order  to  his 
troops  after  the  battle,  he  said  it  "  had  been  his  fortune 
to  have  been  in  all  the  battles  fought  in  Mexico  by 
Generals  Scott  and  Taylor  except  Buena  Vista,  and  he 
never  saw  one  more  hotly  contested,  or  where  troops 
behaved  with  more  gallantry." 

Following  Belmont  was  the  "Cairo  expedition" — a 
venture  comparatively  barren  of  results.  An  order 
issued  about  this  time  to  the  troops  composing  the 
expedition,  throws  a  strong  ray  of  light  on  the  char- 
acter of  its  commanding  general,  in  which  his  high 
moral  ground  and  firm  stand  against  vandalism  shine 
out  in  prominent  relief.  The  order  commands  "  that 
the  severest  punishment  be  inflicted  upon  every  soldier 
who  is  guilty  of  taking  or  destroying  private  property, 
and  any  commissioned  officer  guilty  of  like  conduct,  or 
of  countenancing  it,  shall  be  deprived  of  his  sword 
and  expelled  from  the  army,  not  to  be  permitted  to 
return." 

On  the  sixth  of  February  the  brilliant  reduction  of 
Fort  Henry,  on  the  Tennessee,  was  accomplished  by 
Foote,  and  Fort  Donelson,  twelve  miles  distant,  was 
next  in  line.  Grant  and  Foote  were  co-operating  by 
land  and  water ;  but  Foote  did  not  meet  here  with  the 


252       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

same  success  that  attended  him  at  Fort  Henry.  It 
was  the  fifteenth  of  February,  and  Grant  had  spent 
two  or  three  days  in  making  an  investment  of  the  high 
and  wooded  bluff  from  which  frowned  the  guns  of 
Donelson.  Before  daybreak,  on  the  fifteenth,  he  had 
gone  on  board  the  flagship  of  Foote,  in  consultation  as 
to  the  time  and  manner  of  attack,  when  the  enemy 
swept  from  their  works  and  fell  upon  the  Union  lines 
with  tremendous  force.  The  fighting  became  furious 
at  once,  and  for  some  time  the  battle-line  swayed  to 
and  fro,  between  victory  and  defeat.  It  was  desperate 
work;  brigades  and  regiments  were  repulsed  and 
by  turns  advanced — the  brave  commands  disputing 
every  inch  of  the  rocky  and  difficult  battle-field. 
When  Grant  reached  the  scene  it  was  "  to  find  his, 
right  thrown  far  back,  ammunition  exhausted  and 
the  ranks  in  confusion."  With  quick  inspiration  he 
took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance,  comprehended  that 
the  enemy  had  exhausted  his  greatest  strength,  and 
ordered  an  immediate  attack  by  the  left  on  the  Con- 
federate works  in  front.  General  Smith  was  in  com- 
mand of  this  portion  of  the  army,  and  had  not  actively 
participated  in  the  conflict.  He  therefore  brought 
fresh  troops  to  the  assault.  McClernand  was  also 
ordered  to  reform  his  shattered  ranks  and  advance. 
The  combined  forces  charged  with  splendid  valor  up 
the  rocky  steeps,  in  the  blaze  of  a  withering  fire  poured 
down  upon  them  from  the  fort.  They  did  not  falter 
for  a  single  instant,  but  reaching  the  summit,  swept 
over  and  into  the  Confederate  works  with  ringing 
cheers.  On  the  next  morning  a  white  flag  was  seen 
flying  from  the  fort,  and  under  its  protection  ])roposalg 
for  an  armistice  were   sent   in.     Grant   replied   that 


ULYSSES  S.   GRANT.  253 

unconditional  surrender,  and  that  immediately,  must 
be  made  or  he  would  move  on  their  works  at  once. 
Thereupon,  Buckner,  who  was  in  command,  surren- 
dered the  fort  with  its  thirteen  thousand  men. 

This  splendid  victory  blazoned  the  name  of  Grant 
all  over  the  country,  and  he  immediately  became  the 
people's  hero.  But  at  this  stage  of  his  ascending 
career,  envy  hurled  its  poisoned  shaft  of  slander 
against  him  and  willing  believers  petitioned  for  his 
removal.  But  Lincoln  stood  firm,  the  slanders  fell 
short  of  their  mark,  Grant  was  created  major-general, 
and  his  district  enlarged  into  that  of  the  West  Ten- 
nessee. His  second  campaign  was  under  Halleck.  A 
concerted  attack  on  the  Confederate  forces  under 
Beauregard  and  Johnston,  at  Corinth,  was  planned 
for  Buell  and  Grant.  They  were  to  meet  at  Pitts- 
burgh Landing,  one  going  down  the  Tennessee,  the 
other  across  the  country  from  Nashville.  The  Con- 
federate general  had  become  aware  of  the  plan,  and 
before  BuelFs  army  could  arrive,  Johnston  swept  down 
upon  the  unprepared  Union  forces  with  terrible  power. 
Our  troops  were  thrown  into  disorder  at  the  very  com- 
mencement of  battle,  and  though  they  fought  gallantly, 
there  was  a  lack  of  concerted  strength  or  well-ordered 
cohesiveness  which  lost  the  first  day  of  Shiloh,  and 
piled  the  field  with  dead.  The  next  morning  Buell 
arrived  and  the  fighting  continued.  The  enemy  was 
forced  back  over  the  ground  he  had  conquered  the 
previous  day,  our  artillery  was  recovered  and  the  lost 
field  won.  But  the  human  sacrifice  on  this  altar 
of  blood  was  appalling,  and  the  news  of  victory 
carried  with  it  an  exceedingly  heavy  ground-swell  of 
grief.     The  adverse  criticism  of  Grant  which  followed 


254       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

Shiloh,  did   not  weaken  either   his  prospects   or  his 
position. 

His  next  achievement,  the  capture  of  Vicksburg, 
was  wonderful  indeed.  Its  natural  strength  of  posi- 
tion on  a  high  bluff,  one  hundred  feet  above  the  water' 
level,  added  to  the  formidable  array  of  defences  which 
bristled  defiance  to  all  foes,  made  Yicksburg  a  very 
citadel  of  power,  and  the  fifty  thousand  men  stationed 
there  under  Pemberton  and  Price,  did  not  lessen  the 
difficulties  to  be  overcome.  A  fort,  mounting  eight 
guns,  sentineled  the  approach  to  the  city  from  beneath, 
while  the  heights  above  were  guarded  by  a  three- 
banked  battery.  Eight  miles  of  batteries  lined  the 
shore  above  and  below  Vicksburg.  Grant  made 
several  fruitless  attempts  to  get  to  the  rear  of  the  city 
by  digging  canals  across  the  strip  of  land  on  which  it 
stood,  and  making  an  inland  route;  but  each  one, 
after  Herculean  labor,  had  been  abandoned.  He  now 
decided  on  the  bold  enterprise  of  running  the  gauntlet 
of  these  batteries  with  his  transports.  This  desperate 
feat  was  successfully  accomplished  ;  but  before  he  could 
land  his  troops  at  Grand  Gulf,  which  he  had  selected 
as  his  starting  point,  it  was  necessary  to  run  its  bat- 
teries as  he  had  those  of  Yicksburg,  land  his  troops 
farther  down  the  river,  and  capture  the  place  by  hard 
fighting.  He  waited  for  nothing.  Hurrying  forward 
the  moment  he  touched  land,  his  object  was  to  take 
Grand  Gulf  before  the  enemy  could  reinforce  it.  "  He 
saw  that  it  must  be  swift  marching,  quick  fighting, 
sudden  and  constant  victories,  or  the  storm  would 
gather  so  heavily  about  him  that  his  advance  would  be 
stopped.  He  ordered  as  little  baggage  to  be  taken  as 
possible  and  set  the  example  himself.     Congressman 


ULYSSES  S.   GRANT.  257 

Washburn  accompanied  the  expedition,  and  says  that 
Grant  took  with  him  '  neither  a  horse  nor  an  orderly, 
nor  a  camp-chest,  nor  an  overcoat,  nor  a  blanket,  nor 
even  a  clean  shirt.  His  entire  baggage  for  six  days 
was  a  tooth-brush.  He  fared  like  the  commonest 
soldier  in  his  command,  partaking  of  his  rations  and 
sleeping  upon  the  ground,  with  no  covering  but  the 
canopy  of  heaven.' " 

After  conquering  Grand  Gulf,  where  he  expected 
Banks  to  join  him,  he  was  confronted  with  the  refusal 
of  that  general  to  co-operate  with  him.  In  this 
dilemma  nothing  but  a  master-stroke  of  genius  could 
wring  success  from  the  materials  of  defeat.  He  saw 
what  was  before  him,  and  with  true  inspiration  became 
the  master  of  circumstances.  At  the  head  of  his  brave 
command  he  pushed  inland,  aiming  to  crush  the 
enemy  *Mn  detail  before  he  could  concentrate  his 
forces/'  By  a  rapCi  series  of  brilliant  marches,  battles, 
victories.  Grant  had,  at  last,  on  the  nineteenth  of  May, 
succeeded  in  completely  investing  Vicksburg.  The 
whole  plan  from  its  outset  was  brilliant  to  an  extra- 
ordinary degree,  and  the  tireless  persistence  and  energy 
shown  in  its  accomplishment,  stamped  this  man  as  a 
very  Gibraltar  of  military  genius. 

An  assault  on  the  enemy's  works  at  first,  had  proven 
a  failure,  and  now  the  wonderful  siege  began.  For 
forty-six  days  the  digging  and  mining  went  patiently 
forward,  while  screaming  shells  and  booming  shot 
produced  a  reign  of  terror  in  the  city,  until  at  last, 
Pemberton  could  hold  out  no  longer  and  surrendered 
his  starving  garrison  to  the  superior  prowess  and 
strategy  of  Grant.  It  was  the  morning  of  the  fourth 
of  July,  when  our  troops  took  possession  of  Vicksburg 


258  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

and  run  up  the  stars  and  stripes  from  the  top  of  the 
Court  House.  The  soldiers,  standing  beneath  it,  sang 
^^  E-ally  round  the  Flag,"  and  Grant  became  more  than 
ever  the  popular  hero.  On  the  thirteenth  of  July, 
Lincoln  wrote  him  a  letter  of  "  o-rateful  acknowledo:- 
ment  for  the  almost  inestimable  service"  he  had 
rendered  the  country.  In  September,  he  was  placed 
in  command  of  the  "Departments  of  the  Ohio,  of  the 
Cumberland  and  of  the  Tennessee,  constituting  the 
military  division  of  the  Mississippi." 

Grant  was  now  ordered  to  Chattanooga,  where  Rose- 
crans  had  been  penned  up,  to  unravel  the  desperate 
state  of  affairs  drawn  around  our  army  at  that  point. 
Bragg's  lines  extended  along  Missionary  Ridge  to 
Lookout  Mountain  south,  and  to  the  river  north  of 
Chattanooga,  cutting  of  communications  so  nearly  that 
"  all  supplies  had  to  be  dragged  for  sixty  miles  across 
the  country  over  abominable  roads."  There  was  mo- 
mentary danger  of  losing  this  strong  strategic  point, 
and  the  troops  shut  up  there  with  it.  The  clear-headed, 
prophetic  planning,  the  far-reacliing  judgment,  the 
unremitting  effort,  the  persistent  fighting  which  Grant 
applied  to  this  problem,  demonstrated  his  vast  resources 
as  a  general,  and  placed  him  where  none  can  stand 
above  him  in  military  genius.  The  concerted  action 
between  Hooker  sweeping  down  from  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, Sherman  on  the  left,  and  Thomas  and  Grant  in 
the  centre,  was  grand  in  the  extreme.  As  the  brave 
divisions  cleared  the  rifle  ])its  at  the  base  of  Missionaiy 
Ridge,  and  mounted  the  "  rocky  hill  four  hundred  feet 
high,"  in  an  awful  blaze  of  artillery  and  musketry  fire, 
it  seemed  impossible  that  they  could  ever  reach  the  top 
But  at  sunset  the  herculean  feat  was  accomplished,  the 


i 


ULYSSES  S.    GRAh^T.  259 

Union  banners  fluttered  from  the  heights,  and  a 
tremendous  shout  of  victory  came  down  the  mountain 
sides  to  the  anxious  watchers  below.  Bragg  was  in 
full  retreat,  and  over  seven  thousand  prisoners  had 
been  taken.  Immediately  President  Lincoln  issued  a 
proclamation  for  a  day  of  thanksgiving  over  these  great 
successes,  and  sent  Grant  the  following  letter : 

"Major-General  Grant:. 

"  Understanding  that  your  lodgment  at  Chattanooga  and  Knox- 
ville  is  now  secure,  I  wish  to  tender  you  and  all  your  command,  my 
more  than  thanks— my  profoundest  gratitude  for  the  skill,  courage 
and  perseverance  witli  which  you  and  they  over  so  great  difficulties 
have  effected  that  important  object.     God  bless  you  all. 

"A.  Lincoln." 

In  the  congratulatory  order  which  Grant  issued  to 
his  army,  he  said  : 

"The  general  commanding  thanks  you  individually 
and  collectively.  The  loyal  people  of  the  United 
States  thank  and  bless  you.  Their  hopes  and  prayers 
for.  your  success  against  this  unholy  rebellion  are  with 
you  daily.  Their  faith  in  you  will  not  be  in  vain. 
Their  hopes  will  not  be  blasted.  Their  prayers  to 
Almighty  God  will  be  answered.  You  will  yet  go  to 
other  fields  of  strife,  and  with  the  invincible  bravery 
and  unflinching  loyalty  to  justice  and  right  which  have 
characterized  you  in  the  past,  you  will  prove  that  no 
enemy  can  withstand  you,  and  that  no  defence,  however 
formidable,  can  check  your  onward  march." 

Congress  created  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  and 
bestowed  it  on  Grant  in  answer  to  a  unanimous  demand^ 
from  the  entire  people  that  he  should  be  chief  of  our 
armies. 

An  Indian  sachem  who  was  on  Grant's  staif  at  the 
10 


260  HEROES   OF   THREE    WARS. 

battle  of  Chattanooga  says :  "  It  has  been  a  matter  of 
universal  wonder  that  General  Grant  was  not  killed, 
for  he  was  always  in  front,  and  perfectly  heedless  of 
the  storm  of  hissing  bullets  and  screaming  shells  flying 

around  him Roads  are  almost  useless  to  him, 

for  he  takes  short  cuts  through  fields  and  woods,  and 
will  swim  his  horse  through  almost  any  stream  that 
obstructs  his  way.  Nor  does  it  make  any  difference  to 
him  whether  he  has  daylight  for  his  movements,  for  he 
will  ride  from  breakfast  until  two  o'clock  next  morning, 
and  that  too  without  eating.  The  next  day  he  will 
repeat  the  same  until  he  has  finished  the  work." 

Grant  assumed  the  duties  of  his  high  office  without 
flourish  of  any  sort,  and  proceeded  to  inaugurate  the 
successive  steps  of  his  last  great  campaign.  Sherman 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  vast  Western  army 
"with  Atlanta  as  his  objective  point,"  while  "six  hun- 
dred vessels  of  w^ar  hung  like  full  charged  thunder- 
clouds around  the  Confederate  fortifications."  The 
military  resources  which  centered  in  the  hands  of 
Grant  were  stupendous,  but  had  they  fallen  under  the 
control  of  a  man  less  great  than  he,  their  very  immen- 
sity would  have  rendered  them  powerless. 

The  splendid  army  of  the  Potomac  w^as  on  the  move 
by  May  third,  and  the  last  march  to  Richmond  had 
begun.  Then  came  the  three-days'  battle  of  the  Wil- 
derness on  the  south  bank  of  the  Rapidan,  bloody  and 
terrible  and  strange,  during  which  some  of  our  troops 
were  fighting  continuously  for  forty-eight  hours ;  and 
following  close  after  came  also  Spottsylvania,  which 
was  the  result  of  an  endeavor  to  cut  off  Lee's  retreat. 
This,  too,  was  a  desperate  conflict,  where  precious  blood 
flowed  in  rivers.     Then  followed  the  race  between  the 


\ 


ULYSSES  S.   GRANT.  261 

two  opposing  armies,  for  tlie  North  Anna.  After  cross- 
ing this  river,  and  finding  the  Confederates  occupying 
a  fortified  position  on  the  South  Anna,  Grant  "swung 
his  army  around  to  the  Pamunky,  and  pitched  his  head- 
quarters at  Hanover  Court  House."  These  masterly 
flank  movements,  in  which  he  manoeuvred  his  vast 
army  with  such  ease,  exhibited  his  marvellous  genius, 
in  stronger  light  than  ever  before. 

From  the  Pamunky  he  advanced  to  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  and,  after  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  made  a 
rapid  but  quiet  change  of  front  on  the  night  of  the 
twelfth  of  June,  and  two  days  afterwards  crossed  the 
James  and  advanced  against  Petersburg.  The  attack, 
at  first  a  success,  failed  through  a  blunder,  not  Grant's ; 
and  then  began  the  long  siege  which  ended  at  last  in 
the  evacuation  of  Petersburg  and  Richmond.  Nowhere 
was  the  joy  more  heartfelt  over  these  results  than 
among  the  released  captives  of  Libby  Prison. 

Lee  made  a  desperate  endeavor  to  escape  the  "mani- 
fest destiny"  that  pursued  him,  and  led  his  army  a 
"  race  for  life."  But  Grant,  close  on  his  track,  environed 
him  on  all  sides,  and  the  surrender  at  Appomattox 
became  inevitable.  When,  at  the  final  scene,  Lee  pre- 
sented his  sword  to  Grant,  the  great  General  handed  it 
back  to  him,  saying,  "it  could  not  be  worn  by  a  braver 
man." 

Grant  now  became  universally  beloved,  universally 
lionized — everywhere  an  object  of  hero-worship.  He 
Avas  looked  upon  in  a  sense  as  the  savior  of  the  nation. 
It  is  not  strange  that,  at  the  next  election,  he  was  placed 
in  the  Presidential  chair,  almost  by  popular  acclaim. 
At  the  close  of  his  term,  the  further  compliment 
of  a  re-election  was  paid  him,  and  after  eight  years  of 


262       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

public  service  as  President  of  the  United  States,  he 
went  abroad.  The  splendid  ovations  and  public  dem- 
onstrations which  have  greeted  him  all  over  England 
and  Europe — the  greatest  ever  accorded  any  public 
person  from  America — evince  the  respect  and  admira- 
tion in  which  he  is  held  by  foreign  nations.  Nothing, 
however,  seems  to  disturb  the  calm  equipoise  of  his 
temperament.  He  preserves  always  the  same  impassive 
exterior,  the  same  simplicity  of  manner  for  which  he 
has  been  noted  from  early  youth.  It  is  said  by  those 
who  know,  that  he  was  never  heard  to  utter  a  rude 
word  or  vulgar  jest :  that  no  unfeeling  speech,  no  ill- 
natured  criticism,  nor  oaths,  nor  imprecations  ever 
escaped  him  ;  that  though  slow  to  anger,  he  cannot 
tolerate  injustice,  inhumanity  or  brutality.  And  though 
so  taciturn  in  public,  yet  with  his  intimate  friends  he 
talks  fluently  and  with  charming  ease,  upon  all  sub- 
jects. His  memory  is  retentive,  he  is  a  deep  student 
of  human  nature,  is  full  of  personal  reminiscence  con- 
cerning men  and  manners  in  all  parts  of  the  country — 
is  a  true  friend,  a  magnanimous  enemy,  and  in  personal 
habits  and  tastes,  is  extremely  simple.  In  brief,  under 
all  the  strange  variety  of  circumstances  through  which 
he  has  passed,  he  exhibits  the  unostentatious  bearing, 
the  gentleness,  self-poise  and  kindness  of  heart  belong- 
ing to  true  manhood. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

WILLIAM     TECUMSEH     SHERMAN. 

Distinguishing  Characteristic  of  Political  Kevolutions.— Birth  of 
General  Sherman.— Suddenly  Left  an  Orphan.— Adopted  by 
Hon.  Thomas  Ewing.— Sent  to  West  Point.— Ordered  to  Califor- 
nia.—Becomes  a  Banker.— Is  Made  President  of  the  Louisiana 
Military  Academy.— Opposed  to  Secession.— Tenders  his  Eesig- 
nation.— Assists  in  Organizing  Troops  for  the  Suppression  of  the 
Kebellion.— At  Bull  Kun.— At  Shiloh,  Pittsburgh  Landing,  Chat- 
tanooga and  Missionary  Kidge.— Defeats  Hood.— From  Atlanta 
to  the  Sea.— Campaign  of  the  Carolinas.— Keceives  the  Surrender 
of  Johnston.— Enthusiastic  Keception  at  Washington. 

GREAT  revolutions  are  distinguished  by  the 
appearance  of  new  men  emerging  from  obscur- 
ity. Opportunity  invites  the  development  of  talents, 
and  the  field  of  strife  and  danger  is  soon  crowded  with 
aspirants  to  fame  and  fortune  who  were  before  un- 
known. The  English  Revolution  in  the  seventeenth 
century  and  the  French  Revolution  in  the  succeeding 
century  each  furnished  a  brilliant  array  of  statesmen 
and  soldiers,  who  then  first  became  historical — arbiters 
of  peace  and  war,  and  architect-s  of  empire. 

The  American  Revolution,  by  which  the  independ- 
ence of  the  United  States  was  established,  was  not  less 
fertile  in  the  production  of  distinguished  characters. 
A  host  of  statesmen  and  soldiers,  whose  names  were 
previously  known  only  in  limited  circles,  soon  became 
illustrious  throughout  the  civilized  world. 

Our  recent  civil  war,  and  the  social  and  constitu- 
tional changes  which  it  produced,  may  well  be  said  to 

(263) 


264        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

constitute  a  second  American  Revolution.  In  its 
progress,  as  in  other  revolutions,  there  suddenly  sprang 
from  comparative  obscurity  many,  both  in  civil  and 
military  life,  whose  names  will  be  remembered  in 
history. 

Lieutenants,  captains  and  colonels  at  the  beginning 
of  the  struggle  became  on  one  side  and  the  other, 
brigadier,  major  and  lieutenant-generals.  Some  of 
these  sudden  elevations  only  developed  incapacity, 
while  others  revealed  abilities  of  the  highest  order. 
Among  the  most  conspicuous  of  those  who  achieved  an 
enviable  distinction  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, and  who  deserve  well  of  their  country,  is  the 
illustrious  soldier  whose  life  forms  the  subject  of  this 
sketch. 

William  Tecumseh  Sherman  was  born  in  Lancaster, 
Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  on  the  eighth  day  of  February, 
1820.  At  the  age  of  nine  years  he  was  suddenly 
thrown  upon  the  world  through  the  death  of  his  father, 
who  died  of  cholera  while  away  from  home  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duty  as  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 
Soon  after  Judge  Sherman's  death,  one  of  his  most  inti- 
mate friends,  the  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing,  adopted  William 
as  his  son,  and  placed  him  in  the  academy  at  Lancaster. 
He  kept  him  in  this  school  until  his  sixteenth  year, 
when  he  sent  him  to  the  West  Point  Military  Acad- 
emy. He  graduated  four  years  later,  the  sixth  of  his 
class,  and  entered  the  service  as  second  lieutenant  of 
the  Third  Artillery.  For  services  rendered  in  the 
Florida  war  he  was  promoted  to  a  first  lieutenancy, 
and  afterward  stationed  at  Fort  Moultrie,  South  Caro- 
lina. At  the  opening  of  the  Mexican  war  in  1846, 
Lieutenant  Sherman  was  ordered  to  California,  where 


k 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN.  265 

iic  sliared  the  fortunes  and  glories  of  those  remarkable 
campaigns.  Returning  from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific 
with  the  rank  of  captain,  which  had*  been  given  him 
for  meritorious  services,  he  was  married  in  1850,  to  the 
eldest  daughter  of  his  benefactor,  Thomas  Ewing. 
The  old  attachment  of  his  school-boy  days  was  rekin- 
dled on  meeting  the  estimable  young  lady  who  had 
first  awakened  in  his  bosom  emotions  of  love.  Three 
years  after  his  marriage  in  1853,  becoming  tired  of  the 
monotony  of  a  profession  which  consisted  chiefly  of 
the  stereotyped  round  of  camp  and  garrison  duties,  he 
resigned  his  commission,  and  was  made  president  of  a 
banking-house  in  San  Francisco.  Captain  Sherman 
continued  in  the  role  of  banker  until  1860,  when  he 
was  tendered  and  accepted  the  presidency  of  the  Lou- 
isiana State  Military  Academy  at  Alexandria,  which 
position  he  promptly  resigned  when  he  saw  that  the 
champions  of  slavery  were  determined  upon  Secession, 
and  that  war  was  inevitable.  The  closing  sentence  of 
the  letter,  tendering  his  resignation,  was  the  key-note 
of  his  subsequent  career,  and  nobler  words  were  never 
committed  to  paper.  They  are  worthy  of  being  in- 
scribed in  gold  on  the  front  of  the  National  Capitol. 
He  says  to  the  board  of  supervisors :  "  I  beg  you  to 
take  immediate  steps  to  relieve  me  as  superintendent 
the  moment  the  State  determines  to  secede ;  for  on  no 
earthly  account  will  I  do  any  act  or  think  any  thought 
hostile  to  or  in  defiance  of  the  old  Government  of  the 
United  States." 

His  resignation  being  accepted,  Sherman  went .  to 
St.  Louis,  and  from  thence  to  Washington  just  prior  to 
the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter.  He  laid  before  the 
President  and  Secretary  of  War  his  views  concerning 


266  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

the  attitude  of  the  South  in  the  impending  crisis. 
President  Lincoln  was  unwilling  to  believe  that  the 
people  of  the  South  were  really  determined  to  inau- 
gurate a  civil  war;  he  still  clung  to  the  delusive  idea 
to  which  he  gave  utterance  while  on  his  way  to  Wash- 
ington to  be  inaugurated,  that  it  was  an  artificial 
excitement,  and  said,  jocularly,  in  response  to  Sher- 
man's earnest  representations  :  "  We  shan't  need  many 
men  like  you  :  the  whole  affair  will  soon  blow  over." 

With  a  penetration  which  is  allotted  to  but  few 
mortals,  he  discerned  the  approach  of  a  conflict  the 
like  of  which  the  world  had  never  seen,  and  was 
astonished  at  the  apparent  ignorance  and  incredulity 
of  the  Government  as  to  the  true  condition  of  aifairs. 
Entertaining  such  views  and  alarmed  at  the  apathy 
around  him,  he  wrote  Secretary  Cameron,  saying  that 
as  he  was  educated  at  the  expense  of  the  United  States 
and  owed  everything  to  his  country,  he  had  come  on 
to  tender  his  military  services,  and  declared  in  em- 
phatic terms  that  a  conflict  was  inevitable,  and  that 
the  administration  was  unprepared  for  it. 

The  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter  ultimately  con- 
vinced the  authorities  at  Washington  that  the  South 
not  only  talked  war,  but  actually  meant  it,  and  a  call 
for  seventy-five  thousand  men  was  immediately  issued. 
Sherman  was  now  urged  to  go  home  to  Ohio  and 
superintend  the  organization  of  troops  there  enlisting 
under  the  call  of  the  President.  He  rejected  the 
proposition  with  scorn.  When  interrogated  as  to  what 
steps  should  be  taken  to  suppress  the  Rebellion,  he 
replied :  "  Organize  for  a  gigantic  war  at  once ;  call 
out  the  whole  military  power  of  the  country,  and  with 
an  overwhelming,  irresistible  force  strangle  secession 
in  its  very  birth." 


L 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN.  267 

AYhen  it  was  decided  to  attack  the  enemy  at  Ma- 
nassas, McDowell  was  desirous  of  giving  him  an 
important  command,  and  he  was  immediately  com- 
missioned colonel  and  assigned  to  the  Thirteenth 
Infantry.  At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  which  soon 
followed,  Colonel  Sherman  commanded  the  Third 
Brigade  of  Tyler's  division,  and  gallantly  performed 
the  part  assigned  him  in  that  disastrous  struggle. 
Taking  position  in  front  of  the  Stone  Bridge,  he  co- 
operated for  a  time  with  Hunter  and  Heintzleman. 
When  those  generals  came  down  the  further  bank  of 
Bull  Run  Creek  opposite  his  brigade,  he  crossed  over 
and  united  with  the  division  under  Hunter.  His 
timely  arrival  at  this  juncture  of  the  battle  prevented 
the  rout,  if  not  the  annihilation,  of  Hunter's  command, 
for  as  his  four  regiments  came  upon  the  scene,  he  saw 
that  Burnside's  brigade  was  nearly  overpowered  by 
the  Confederates.  Pressing  swiftly  forward  he  poured 
in  upon  the  exultant  foe  a  withering,  destructive  fire, 
and  then,  pushing  on  at  double-quick  with  the  bay- 
onet, checked,  routed  and  won  a  victory  over  the  Con- 
federates on  this  part  of  the  field  at  least.  How  Sher- 
man and  his  brave  men  fought  in  this  first  great 
battle  of  the  Rebellion,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  two-thirds  of  the  casualties  in  the  division  fell 
on  his  single  brigade,  the  loss  being  over  a  fifth  of  that 
sustained  by  the  entire  army. 

Leaving  the  field  of  Bull  Run,  we  pass  hurriedly  to 
Fort  Donelson,  and  from  thence  to  the  bloody  battle 
of  Pittsburgh  Landing,  where  under  Grant  he  com- 
manded the  Fifth  Division.  It  is  said  of  him  by 
another,  that  in  this  action  "  he  rose  at  once  to  the  peril 
of  the  occasion,  and  all  day  long  moved  like  a  fabled 


268        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

god  over  that  disastrous  field.  Clinging  to  his  posi- 
tion till  the  last  moment,  fighting  as  he  retired,  his 
orders  flying  like  lightning  in  every  direction,  and  he 
himself  galloping  incessantly  through  the  hottest  fire; 
now  rallying  his  men,  now  planting  a  battery,  he 
seemed  omnipresent  and  to  bear  a  charmed  life. 
Horse  after  horse  sunk  under  him;  he  himself  was 
struck  again  and  again ;  and  yet  he  not  only  kept  the 
field,  but  blazed  like  a  meteor  over  it.  At  noon  of 
that  Sabbath  day,  he  was  dismounted,  his  hand  in  a 
sling  and  bleeding,  giving  directions  to  his  chief  of 
artillery,  while  it  was  one  incessant  crash  and  roar  all 
around  him.  Suddenly  he  saw  to  the  right  his  men 
giving  way  before  a  cloud  of  rebels.  ^I  was  looking 
for  that,'  he  exclaimed.  The  next  moment  the  bat- 
tery he  had  been  placing  in  position  opened,  sending 
deatJi  and  destruction  into  the  close-packed  ranks. 
The  rebel  commander  glancing  at  the  battery,  ordered 
the  cavalry  to  charge  it.  Seeing  them  coming  down, 
Sherman  quickly  ordered  up  two  companies  of  in- 
fantry, which,  pouring  in  a  deadly  volley,  sent  them 
to  the  right  about  with  empty  saddles.  The  onset 
was  arrested,  and  our  troops  rallied  with  renewed 
courage."  Thus  he  acted  all  that  fearful  Sabbath  day. 
As  Sheridan  was  the  rock  that  saved  Rosecrans  at 
Stone  River,  and  Thomas  the  one  that  saved  him  at 
Chickamauga,  so  Sherman  was  the  rock  that  saved 
Grant  at  Shiloh.  At  its  close  his  old  legion  met  him, 
and  sent  up  three  cheers  at  the  sight  of  his  well- 
remembered  form.  Rousseau  in  speaking  of  his  con- 
^luct  in  this  battle  said:  "No  man  living  could  sur- 
pass him."  General  Nelson  a  few  days  before  his 
ilcath  remarked  :  "  During  eight  hours  the  fate  of  the 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH   SHERMAN.  269 

army  on  the  field  of  Shiloh  depended  on  the  life  of 
one  man :  if  General  Sherman  had  fallen,  the  army 
Avould  have  been  captured  or  destroyed/'  Grant  said  : 
"  To  his  individual  efforts  I  am  indebted  for  the  suc- 
cess of  this  battle ; "  and  Halleck  in  his  despatch 
bore  this  unqualified  testimony  :  "  It  is  the  unanimous 
opinion  here,  that  Brigadier-General  W.  T.  Sherman 
saved  the  fortunes  of  the  day  on  the  sixth  of  April." 
^^  He  was  a  strong  man  in  the  high  places  of  the  field, 
and  hope  shone  in  him  like  a  pillar  of  fire  when  it 
had  gone  out  in  all  other  men." 

The  next  day,  when  Buell's  fresh  battalions  took 
the  field,  Sherman  again  led  his  battered  regiments 
into  the  fight,  and  enacted  over  again  the  heroic  deeds 
of  the  day  before ;  for  as  Rousseau  said,  he  "  fights 
by  the  week."  Untiring  to  the  last,  he  pushed  out  the 
third  day  after  the  victory  and  whipped  the  enemy's 
cavalry,  taking  a  large  supply  of  ammunition. 

In  the  subsequent  advance  to  Corinth,  his  division 
bore  the  most  conspicuous  part,  and  was  the  first  to 
enter  the  deserted  works  of  the  enemy.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  been  promoted  to  major-general  of 
volunteers. 

The  limits  of  this  chapter  will  not  allow  us  to  follow 
General  Sherman  in  the  details  of  his  grand  move- 
ments ;  but,  glancing  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  the 
operations  around  Chattanooga  and  Missionary  Ridge, 
the  masterly  manoeuvering  that  led  to  the  defeat  of 
Hood,  and  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  we  come  to  the 
crowning  glory  of  his  military  career — the  march  to 
the  sea. 

This  magnificent  campaign  from  Chattanooga  to 
Atlanta,  and  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  was  so  unlike 


270        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

anything  that  preceded  it  in  war  history  that  it  is  called 
*^the  great  march,"  to  distinguish  it  from  all  other 
marches  ancient  or  modern.  He  could  never  have 
accomplished  the  wide  results  obtained  by  it,  had  he 
undertaken  to  do  so  by  direct  assault  against  fortressed 
cities,  well-chosen  positions,  and  an  opposing  army  of 
sixty  thousand  infantry,  and  ten  thousand  horse. 
Strategy  by  flanking  movements  constituted  the  key- 
note to  his  operations,  and  thenceforward  he  became 
known  as  "  the  great  flanker." 

Predictions  were  not  wanting  on  all  sides  that  such  a 
march  through  an  enemy's  country  could  not  be  per- 
formed and  yet  preserve  the  lines  of  communication 
and  supply  with  so  far  distant  a  base.  It  never  had 
been  done,  and  that  fact  to  the  minds  of  many,  seemed 
a  potent  reason  why  it  could  not  be  successfully  under- 
taken by  Sherman.  But  the  possibilities  which  would 
have  appalled  a  smaller  genius,  only  served,  with  the 
invincible  Sherman,  as  a  tonic  influence  by  which 
hitherto  undreamed-of  achievements  became  splendid 
realities. 

The  first  battle  and  victory  of  the  great  march  took 
place  at  Resaca,  where  Johnston,  having  been  compelled 
to  abandon  a  position  of  great  strength  near  Dalton, 
met  the  troops  of  McPherson,  which  had  come  up 
eighteen  miles  in  his  rear.  The  fighting  continued 
several  days,  and  about  one  thousand  prisoners  were 
captured. 

At  Marietta,  an  important  railroad  junction  was 
seized  by  Hooker ;  and  the  great  game  of  move,  and 
counter-move,  and  feints,  by  which  the  enemy's  foa'ce 
was  focussed  in  directions  away  from  the  point  of  march, 
began.  Threatenings  in  front,  flank  and  rear  first 
mystified,  and  then  maddened  the  foe.     The  only  mis- 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN.  273 

take  of  the  great  campaign,  apparently,  was  the  mur- 
derous battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain.  The  fruitlessness 
of  direct  attack  on  so  impregnable  a  heig^ht  was  de- 
monstrated at  the  cost  of  immense  slaughter.  After 
this  experience,  Sherman  again  resorted  to  his  old  mode 
of  flanking,  and,  crossing  the  Chattahoochie,  forced 
Johnston  back  into  Atlanta.  The  road  from  Chatta- 
nooga to  this  point  had  been  one  long  battle-field,  and 
now  the  Gate  City  saw  the  conquering  hosts  of  Sher- 
man at  her  very  portals.  A  fight  and  siege  followed. 
But  neither  siege  nor  battle  availed  to  unlock  the 
situation.  The  bold  design  was  then  formed  of  cutting 
Atlanta  from  her  base  of  supplies,  by  occupying  the 
Macon  road.  This  diflQcult  task  was  given  to  Kilpat- 
rick  and  his  gallant  cavalry,  and  brought  to  successful 
issue.  The  march  of  the  several  infantry  chiefs  pro- 
ceeded with  perfect  concert  of  action,  with  Howard  on 
the  right,  Thomas  in  the  centre  and  Schofield  on  the 
left.  On  the  first  of  September,  the  three  wings  were 
close  on  Atlanta  and  compelled  a  battle,  in  which  the 
enemy  were  assaulted  and  defeated.  Hood  then  evac- 
uated Atlanta,  burning  the  stores  he  was  obliged  to 
leave  behind.  The  skies  at  night  became  lurid  with 
the  red  glare  of  blazing  cotton  bales,  a  hundred  cars, 
six  engines  and  other  supplies. 

Lighted  by  this  funeral  pyre  of  lost  hopes,  Hood 
conducted  his  depleted  ranks  towards  Macon. 

The  marvellous  foresight  and  genius  exhibited  in 
this  campaign  can  hardly  be  over-rated.  Every  diffi- 
culty— and  their  name  was  legion — was  overcome,  and 
every  contingency  provided  for.  A  new  departure 
from  military  science  had  been  taken,  and  old  rules 
laughed  down  the  wind. 


274        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

The  great  victory  was  thundered  in  sahite  from 
hundreds  of  guns  at  the  North,  and  the  magic  word 
^'Atlanta", inscribed  on  the  banners  of  the  conquering 
host.  But  greater  things  were  to  follow.  From  At- 
lanta, Sherman  beheld  Savannah  by  the  sea,  and,  to  the 
surprise  of  North  and  South  and  the  astonishment 
of  England,  reached  forth  and  grasped  that  prize. 
By  the  aid  of  his  secondary  base  at  the  mountain  pass 
of  Allatoona  (made  efficient  in  its  moment  of  peril  by 
the  heroism  of  Corse,  who  "  held  the  fort  ^'  against 
awful  odds  till  Sherman  came),  with  the  co-operation  of 
the  great  Thomas,  the  intrepid  McPherson,  and  Slocum, 
and  Schofield,  and  the  invaluable  services  rendered  by 
Kilpatrick  and  his  fiery  dragoons,  concealing  from  the 
enemy  the  real  objects  of  Sherman — with  these  superb 
supports,  the  grand  journey  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea 
was  accomplished.  And  while  every  one  else  looked  on 
in  doubt,  mystified  and  not  knowing  how  it  would  all 
end  or  where  he  would  strike,  Sherman  himself,  with 
the  sublime  confidence  born  of  genius,  never  for  a 
moment  doubted  his  success. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  November,  the  army  swept  sea- 
ward. The  goal  in  the  distance  faintly  loomed,  nearly 
three  hundred  miles  away.  Village,  town  and  planta- 
tion were  rapidly  passed  en  route. 

A  halt  of  a  few  days  was  made  at  Milledgeville  for 
rest,  and  at  Macon,  the  capital,  the  soldiers  took  posses- 
sion of  the  legislative  halls,  from  whence  the  Confed- 
erates had  fled  in  confusion,  and  held  mock  sessions  of 
State.  Sherman  also  had  the  honor  of  sleeping  on  the 
floor  of  the  deserted  executive  mansion. 

At  Millen,  another  halt  was  made.  On  the  second 
of  December,  the  several  columns  marched  out  of  this 


WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  SHERMAN.  275 

place  and  on  six  different  roads  continued  the  advance 
to  the  sea.  Vast  tracks  of  pine  forest  lay  in  their  line 
of  march,  and  the  scenery  grew  poetic  and  picturesque. 
Cities  and  villages,  the  open  country  and  the  Geor- 
gian pines  were  rapidly  left  behind.  At  last  thej 
reached  Fort  McAllister,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ogeechee 
Kiv^er,  a  few  miles  south  of  Savannah. 

Here  the  gallant  and  desperate  assault  by  Hazen's 
division  carried  the  works  against  well-nigh  overwhelm- 
ing odds.  Sherman  watched  the  proceedings  from 
the  roof  of  a  rice  mill  on  the  other  side  of  the  Ogee- 
chee. His  excitement,  intense  but  controlled,  found 
vent  in  half  exclamations. 

Howard  stood  beside  him,  and  their  respective  staffs 
were  grouped  around.  Sherman  gazed  on  the  assault, 
through  his  glass,  with  breathless  interest. 

"See  that  flag  in  the  advance,  Howard!"  he  says, 
"  How  steadly  it  moves  ! — not  a  man  falters  !  There 
they  go  still!  Grand!  Grand  !'^  Then  a  momen- 
tary pause  falls  between  the  sentences.  "  That  flag  still 
goes  forward !  There  is  no  flinching  there !  Look  ! 
it  has  halted  !  They  waver — no,  it's  the  parapet ! 
There  they  go  again — now  they  reach  it — some  are 
over  !  Look  there !  a  flag  on  the  works  !  Another  I 
Another !  It's  ours — the  fort  is  ours !  "  He  turns  to 
his  aid  with  face  aglow.  "  Caj)tain,  have  a  boat  ready. 
I  am  going  down  to  the  fleet.''  Then  a  hurried  de- 
spatch is  written  to  Washington,  telling  of  victory. 

In  a  few  days  from  the  fall  of  Fort  McAllister, 
Savannah  surrendered,  and  the  grand  and  triumphant 
march  to  the  sea  was  accomplished.  In  the  casualties 
of  march  and  battle,  it  had  not  cost  over  a  thousand 
men.     Sherman  telegraphed  the  President  as  follows : 


276       HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

"  I  beg  to  present  you  as  a  Christmas  gift  the  city 
of  Savannah,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  guns  and 
plenty  of  ammunition,  and  about  twenty-five  thousand 
bales  of  cotton." 

The  joy  which  Sherman's  invasion  of  Georgia  car- 
ried to  thousands  of  hearts  waiting  for  their  prison 
doors  to  open,  is  fully  appreciated  by  the  author,  then 
an  escaped  prisoner,  lying  in  cypress  swamps  by  day 
and  travelling  through  an  unknown  country  by  night. 
Coming,  as  we  did  one  day,  unexpectedly  upon  the 
trail  of  the  great  army,  with  its  scattered  debris,  was 
like  signalling  liberty  from  the  gloomy  gulfs  of  de- 
spair; and  no  music  ever  sounded  sweeter  than  the 
booming  of  Sherman's  guns  in  distant  battle. 

After  reaching  Savannah  the  army  rested,  gaining 
strength  for  its  next  equally  bold  campaign  through 
the  Carolinas  to  Goldsboro'  and  Raleigh.  The  dis- 
tance to  be  traversed  was  five  hundred  miles;  the  diffi- 
culties, as  before,  innumerable.  Rivers  and  swamps 
must  be  bridged,  railroads  rebuilt,  highways  cleared. 
The  swift  magic  with  which  these  obstacles  were  over- 
come was  due  to  the  perfect  working  of  the  Construc- 
tion Corps.  It  seemed  as  magical  as  the  work  of  the 
Cinderella  fairy,  who  turned  pumpkins  into  carriages 
and  "rats  to  horses  fine."  Sherman  had  the  most  abso- 
lute faith  in  his  plans,  and  never  for  a  moment  hesitated 
in  their  execution.  He  completely  baffled  the  enemy  as 
to  his  designs,  and  went  straight  through,  without  a 
break  in  the  connection  of  his  work,  from  Savannah  to 
Columbia,  from  Columbia  to  Waynesboro',  then  to 
Fayetteville,  Goldsboro'  and  Raleigh.  At  Goldsboro' 
he  heard  of  the  fall  of  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  and 
as   he  entered    Raleigh  the  news  of  Lee's   surrender 


WILLIAM   TECU3ISEH  SHERMAN.  277 

reached  him.  Here,  of  course,  ended  his  war  career. 
At  AYashington  and  at  the  North  he  was  received  with 
acclamations  and  enthusiasm  wherever  he  went. 

As  a  military  man,  Sherman  showed  himself  to  be  a 
tremendous  }30wer.  The  boldness  and  originality  of 
his  achievements  put  old  maxims  and  previous  stand- 
ards to  the  blush.  He  became  a  "law  unto  himself" 
in  matters  of  war,  and  was  successful  in  the  face  of  all 
adverse  prediction. 

If  he  who  peruses  these  pages  is  a  friend  of  the 
Union,  his  heart  will  beat  with  admiration  and  pride 
for  the  invincible  Sherman  who  pushed  forward  day 
by  day,  bearing  grandly  at  the  head  of  his  resistless 
columns  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  until  over  hill  and 
plain,  through  the  smoke  of  victorious  battles,  the 
national  standard  waved  in  triumph  over  the  rebel 
cities  of  the  sea,  over  beautiful  Savannah  and  the 
long- vaunted  *' impregnable"  Charleston. 
17 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
PHILIP   HENRY  SHERIDAN. 

Impetuosity  of  Character. — A  Poor  Irish  Boy. — At  West  Point.— 
Wild  Conduct. — Graduation. — Service  in  AVestern  Territories. — ■ 
Captain  of  the  Thirteenth  Infantry. — Quartermaster  under  Hal- 
leek. — As  a  Cavalry  Officer. — Battle  of  Booneville. — Promotion 
to  Brigadier-General. — Murfreesboro'. — At  Chickamauga  and 
Missionary  Ridge. — In  Pursuit  of  Early, — Cedar  Creek. — Sheri- 
dan's Ride. — The  Victory. — At  Five  Forks  and  Appomattox. — 
After  the  War. 

SHERIDAN  is  probably  the  most  intense  type  of 
"  soldiership"  brought  to  light  by  the  last  war. 
Nor  can  any  other  war  furnish  an  individual  example 
that  will  surpass  him  in  fiery  concentration.  In  battle, 
he  is  the  very  soul  of  vehement  action — the  incarnate 
wrath  of  the  storm.  No  historian  can  ever  portray  the 
man  so  truly  as  did  the  remarkable  victory  of  Cedar 
Creek — a  result  solely  of  his  extraordinary  power. 
The  marvellous  will-force  with  which  he  could  hurl 
himself  in  the  front  of  battle,  and  infuse  his  own  spirit 
of  unconquerable  daring  into  the  ranks,  is  phenomenal^ 
to  say  the  least. 

An  Irish  lad,  and  poor,  he  was  born  at  Somerset, 
Perry  county,  Ohio,  March  sixth,  1831.  No  especial 
account  is  given  of  him  until  he  went  to  West  Point 
in  1848.  He  was  then  seventeen,  and  had  managed 
to  attract  the  notice  of  the  Congressman  from  his  dis- 
trict, who  secured  him  the  appointment.  He  proved 
(278) 


PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN.  279 

an  apt  and  energetic  student,  but  in  other  respects  his 
life  at  West  Point  was  a  continual  succession  of  quar- 
rels and  fights  in  which  he  became  involved  through 
his  quick  temper.  Pie  graduated,  however,  in  1853, 
escaping  failure  only  by  five  points. 

After  leaving  AYest  Point,  he  served  in  Texas  and 
on  the  Pacific  coast  until  May  fourteenth,  1861,  when 
he  was  made  captain  of  the  Thirteenth  Infantry. 
AVhile  in  those  far  western  territories  he  had  become 
inured  to  hardship  and  perils,  and  on  one  or  two  oc- 
casions had  so  far  distinguished  himself  that  he  was 
complimented  by  General  Scott  and  honorably  men- 
tioned in  general  orders. 

After  his  appointment  to  a  captaincy,  he  joined  his 
command  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo.,  and  was  made 
chief  quartermaster  of  the  army  at  that  point. 

In  March,  1862,  after  Halleck  had  taken  command 
in  the  west,  he  was  madie  cliief  quarter-master  of  the 
AVestern  Department,  ranking  as  major.  But  Halleck 
seems  to  have  discovered  his  special  value  as  a  cavalry 
officer,  and  in  May,  1862,  made  him  colonel  of  the 
Second  Michigan  Cavalry.  The  battle  of  Booneville, 
conducted  by  Sheridan  on  July  first,  was  such  a  bril- 
liant piece  of  strategy,  where  wit  outgeneral  led  num- 
bers, that  he  was  recommended  by  Grant  for  promo- 
tion and  received  the  appointment  of  brigadier-general 
of  volunteers,  dating  from  that  battle. 

In  the  fight  at  Murfreesboro',  Sheridan's  splendid 
qualities  of  generalship  shone  pre-eminently.  On  that 
field,  he  was  in  command  of  the  left  division  of  the 
right  wing  of  our  army,  and  by  the  firm  stand  he  made 
after  the  other  two  divisions  were  surprised  into  rout, 
saved  the  day   to  Rosecrans.      That   general,   in    his 


280  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

rej)ort  of  the  battle,  said  of  Sheridan  :  "The  constancy 
and  steadfastness  of  his  troops  enabled  the  reserve  to 
reach  the  right  of  our  army  in  time  to  turn  the  tide  of 
battle,  and  changed  a  threatened  rout  into  a  victory. 
He  lias  fairly  won  promotion."  This  praise  was  fully 
deserved,  and  "  Little  Phil."  was  consequently  given  a 
major-generalship. 

He  fought  with  characteristic  bravery  at  the  bloody 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  though  without  avail ;  and  at 
Missionary  Ridge,  he  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fray. 
His  dauntless  leadership  contributed  not  a  little  to  the 
successful  results  of  that  day. 

When  Grant  became  lieutenant-general,  Sheridan 
was  given  the  command  of  the  cavalry  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  all  his  subsequent  movements 
evinced  wonderful  daring,  skill  and  energy.  No  trust 
committed  to  his  charge  was  ever  misplaced,  no  matter 
what  its  magnitude  or  importance. 

When  the  Confederate  Generals  Ewell  and  Early 
were  sent  into  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  went  so  far 
north  as  to  threaten  Washington,  Grant  consolidated 
the  four  military  divisions  of  the  Susquehanna,  Wash- 
ington, Monongahela  and  West  Virginia  into  the 
"Army  of  the  Shenandoah,"  and  placed  Sheridan  in 
command.  He  defeated  Early  at  Opequan,  September 
nineteenth — for  which  he  was  made  brigadier-o-eneral 
of  the  United  States  army;  defeated  him  again  at 
fisher's  Hill,  on  the  twenty-second,  and  on  October 
nineteenth  occurred  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek. 

The  position  of  Sheridan's  army  at  this  time  was 
a^:ong  the  crest  of  three  hills,  "each  one  a  little  back 
of  the  other."  The  Army  of  West  Virginia,  under 
Crook,  held  the  first  hill ;  the  second  was  occupied  by 
the   Nineteenth   Corps   under    P2mory,  mid    the   Sixth 


PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN.  281 

Corps,  with  Torbet's  cavalry  covering  its  right  flank, 
held  the  third  elevation.  Early,  marching  his  army  in 
five  columns,  crossed  the  mountains  and  forded  the 
north  branch  of  the  Shenandoah  River,  at  midnight, 
on  the  eighteenth.  He  knew  that  Sheridan  had  gone 
up  to  Washington,  and  wanted  to  take  advantage  of 
his  absence  to  surprise  the  unsuspecting  camp.  The 
march  was  conducted  so  noiselessly  that  though  he 
skirted  the  borders  of  our  position  for  miles,  nothing 
came  to  the  ears  of  our  pickets,  save  in  a  few  instances, 
where  a  heavy,  muffled  tramp  was  heard,  but  disre- 
garded as  of  no  consequence. 

The  gray  gloom  of  early  morning  hovered  over  the 
camp,  when  a  reconnoitring  force  from  Crook's  army 
was  preparing  to  go  out.  Suddenly  a  wild  yell  burst 
through  the  fog,  which  hid  from  view  the  Confederate 
army.  A  withering  musketry  fire  and  the  clash  of 
arms  quickly  followed.  Before  our  surprised  and 
panic-stricken  ti'oops  could  be  formed  in  battle-array, 
the  enemy  were  upon  them,  and  after  a  short  and  sharp 
encounter,  the  Army  of  Western  Virginia  was  thrown 
into  utter  rout — a  mass  of  fugitives  flying  before  the 
pursuing  foe  back  towards  the  second  hill  where  the 
Nineteenth  Corps  was  encamped. 

The  few  regiments  of  Crook's  force  which  endeav- 
ored to  make  a  stand  were  swept  back  before  the 
swelling  tide  of  fugitives  in  full  and  disordered  retreat. 

The  Nineteenth  Corps  attempted  to  arrest  the  Con- 
federate advance,  but  tiie  enemy  getting  in  our  rear 
and  enfilading  us  with  our  captured  batteries,  the 
troops  broke  rr^nk  and  fell  back  in  confusion  towards 
the  encampment  of  the  Sixth  Corps  on  the  third  hill 
in  the  rear. 


282       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

A  new  line  of  battle  was  formed  by  Wright,  who 
was  making  desperate  attempts  to  stay  the  onward  tide 
of  fugitives  which  steadily  poured  to  the  rear.  Early's 
hungry  troops  now  began  to  leave  their  ranks  in  large 
numbers  to  plunder  the  two  deserted  camps  of  their 
rich  booty.  Had  Wright  been  aware  of  this  fact,  per- 
haps he  could  have  successfully  resisted  the  Confeder- 
ate advance.  As  it  was,  after  having  hurled  back  a 
fierce  onset  of  the  enemy  and  covered  the  retreat  of 
the  disordered  crowd  in  his  rear,  he  began  to  fear  that 
his  communications  might  be  endangered  and  therefore 
fell  back  towards  Middletown.  AVright  had  thus  hero- 
ically interposed  himself  and  his  command  between 
our  army  and  its  threatened  destruction. 

Merritt  and  Custer,  with  two  divisions  of  cavalry, 
were  ordered  to  our  left,  to  check  the  murderous  fire 
-".ssailing  it,  and  a  severe  fight  ensued  in  the  fields  of 
Middletown.  A  concentrated  fire  from  the  heights, 
where  Early  had  planted  his  batteries,  was  poured  upon 
the  Union  left,  compelling  it  to  retreat. 

Sheridan,  meantime,  was  at  Winchester,  where  he 
had  arrived  the  night  before,  intending  to  go  on  to 
Cedar  Creiek  the  next  morning.  As  he  sipped  his 
coffee  at  breakfast,  he  did  not,  for  an  instant,  dream 
of  the  terrible  rout  and  disaster  hovering,  at  that  mo- 
ment, over  his  army.  When  he  rode  out  of  Winches- 
ter, the  vibrations  of  the  ground  under  the  heavy  dis- 
charges of  artillery  in  the  distance,  gave  the  first  inti- 
mations of  danger.  But  he  was  not  yet  alarmed, 
knowing  the  security  of  his  position.  As  he  went  on- 
ward, however,  the  thunder  of  the  cannon  deepened, 
and  then  the  terrible  truth  flashed  upon  him.  He 
dashed  spurs  into  his  horse  and  was  soon  tearing  madly 
along  i\vQ  road,  far  ahead  of  his  escort. 


PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN.  283 

For  five  anxious  hours  the  desperate  struggle  had 
gone  on  when  Sheridan  arrived  on  the  field,  encounter- 
ing first,  the  stream  of  fugitives  surging  northward. 
They  turned  about  as  they  saw  their  invincible  leader 
flying  towards  the  front,  and  even  the  wounded  along 
the  roadside  cheered  him  as  he  passed.  Swinging  his 
cap  over  his  head,  he  shouted:  *^Face  the  other  way, 
boys ! — face  the  other  way !  We  are  going  back  to 
our  camps !  We  are  going  to  lick  them  out  of  their 
boots!'' 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  when,  with  his  \iorse  cov- 
ered with  foam,  he  galloped  up  to  the  front.  Imme- 
diately, under  his  quick  commands,  the  broken  ranks 
were  reformed  and  when  the  Confederates  made  their 
next  grand  charge  across  the  fields,  the  terrific  repulse 
that  met  and  hurled  them  back,  showed  the  turn  of  the 
tide  and  compelled  them  to  relinquish  the  offensive. 
For  two  hours  Sheridan  rode  back  and  forth  alonof  the 
line,  seeming  to  be  everywhere  at  once,  infusing  into  the 
men  his  own  daring  courage  and  enthusiasm.  Shouts 
and  cheers  followed  him  ;  and  though  the  tired  soldiers 
had  been  fighting  for  five  long  hours  and  had  eaten 
nothing  since  the  night  before,  his  presence  was  both 
food  and  inspiration,  and  everything  seemed  to  be  for- 
gotten in  an  all-controlling  impulse  to  follow  their 
glorious  leader  to  victory. 

Early  retired  his  troops  a  short  distance  after  their 
repulse,  and  began  throwing  up  breastworks.  But  the 
intrepid  Sheridan  had  no  notion  of  allowing  him  to 
retain  that  position.  He  meant  to  regain  Cedar  Creek 
and  rout  the  enemy.  At  half-past  three  a  bold  charge 
was  made.  An  awful  musketry  and  artillery  fire  was 
poured   into   the  advancing  Union   columns,  and,  at 


284        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

first,  the  lines  broke  and  fell  back ;  but  Sheridan  rose 
at  once  to  the  needs  of  the  crisis,  and  with  superhuman 
efforts  restored  order  and  resumed  the  advance.  Then 
came  "  the  long-drawn  yell  of  our  charge,"  and  "  every- 
thing on  the  first  line,  the  stone  walls,  the  tangled 
wood,  the  advanced  crest  and  half-finished  breastworks, 
had  been  carried." 

The  panic-stricken  enemy  was  sent  flying  in  utter 
rout  on  through  Middletown,  through  Strasburg, 
through  Fisher's  Hill,  and  to  AYoodstock,  sixteen 
miles  beyond.  Early  was  thus  effectually  driven  out 
of  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  permanently  crippled. 

This  wonderful  victory,  due  to  Sheridan's  personal 
presence  alone,  put  a  crown  on  his  head  which  few 
warriors  could  pluck  from  the  heights  of  Fame. 

The  story,  as  set  to  verse  by  Mr.  Read,  has  all  the 
spirited  ardor  of  the  headlong  and  impatient  rider; 

'•  Up  from  the  South  at  break  of  day, 
Bringing  to  Winchester  fresh  dismay, 
The  affrighted  air  with  a  shudder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste,  to  the  chieftain's  door, 
Tiie  terrible  grumble,  and^ rumble,  and  roar. 
Telling  the  battle  was  on  once  more, 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 

"And  wider  still  those  billows  of  war 
Thundered  along  the  horizon's  bar ; 
And  louder  yet  into  Winchester  rolled 
The  roar  of  that  red  sea  uncontrolled, 
Making  the  blood  of  the  listener  cold, 
As  he  thought  of  the  stake  in  that  fiery  fray, 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 

"  But  there  is  a  road  from  Winchester  town, 
A  good,  broad  highway  leading  down ; 
And  there  through  the  flush  of  the  morning  light 
A  steed  as  black  as  the  steeds  of  night 
Was  seen  to  pass  as  with  eagle  flight ; 


PHILIP  HENRY  SHERIDAN,  285 

As  if  he  knew  the  terrible  need 
He  stretched  away  with  his  utmost  speed. 
Hills  rose  and  fell ;  but  his  heart  was  gay, 
With  Sheridan  fifteen  miles  away. 

"  Still  sprung  from  those  swift  hoofs  thundering  south, 
The  dust,  like  smoke  from  the  cannon's  mouth, 
Or  the  trail  of  a  comet  sweeping  faster  and  faster, 
Foreboding  to  traitors  the  doom  of  disaster. 
The  heart  of  the  steed  and  the  heart  of  the  master 
Were  beating  like  prisoners  assaulting  their  walls, 
Impatient  to  be  where  the  battle-field  calls ; 
Every  nerve  of  the  charger  was  strained  to  full  play, 
With  Sheridan  only  ten  miles  away. 

"  Under  his  spurning  feet,  the  road 
Like  an  arrowy  Alpine  river  flowed, 
And  the  landscape  sped  away  behind. 
Like  an  ocean  flying  before  the  wind ; 
And  the  steed  like  a  bark  fed  with  furnace  ire, 
Swept  on  with  his  wild  eye  full  of  fire. 
But  lo  !  he  is  nearing  his  heart's  desire. 
He  is  snuffing  the  smoke  of  the  roaring  fray 
With  Sheridan  only  five  miles  away. 

"  The  first  that  the  general  saw,  were  the  groups 
Of  stragglers,  and  then  the  retreating  troops  ; 
What  was  done?  what  to  do ?  a  glance  told  him  both, 
Then,  striking  his  spurs,  with  a  terrible  oath. 
He  dashed  down  the  line  'mid  a  storm  of  huzzas. 
And  the  wave  of  retreat  checked  its  course  there,  because 
The  sight  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause. 

"  With  foam  and  with  dust  the  black  charger  was  gray; 
By  the  flash  of  his  eye,  and  the  red  nostril's  play, 
He  seemed  to  the  whole  great  army  to  say, 
'  I  have  brought  you  Sheridan  all  the  way 
From  Winchester  down,  to  save  the  day.' 

" '  Hurrah  !  hurrah  for  Sheridan  ! 
Hurrah  !  hurrah  for  horse  and  man  ! 
And  when  their  statues  are  placed  on  high, 
Under  the  dome  of  the  Union  sky, 


286  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

The  American  soldier's  Temple  of  Fame, 
There,  with  the  glorious  General's  name, 
Be  it  said  in  letters  both  bold  and  bright: 
*  Here  is  the  steed  that  saved  the  day 
By  carrying  Sheridan  into  the  fight 
From  Winchester— twenty  miles  away.' " 

Sheridan's  next  promotion  to  major-general  in  the 
reo-ular  army  occurred  soon  after  the  battle  of  Cedar 
Creek;  and  on  April  first,  1865,  he  gained  the  battle 
of  Five  Forks,  thus  insuring  the  abandonment  of 
Petersburg  and  Richmond.  He  also  aided  materially 
in  the  environment  of  Lee's  army  which  brought 
about  the  surrender  at  Appomattox  Court  House. 

After  the  war,  July  seventeenth,  1866,  he  was 
appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Gulf  military  divi- 
sion, and  in  March,  1867,  of  the  fifth  military  district, 
including  Louisiana  and  Texas.  On  September  twelfth, 
be  was  placed  over  the  department  of  the  Missouri, 
with  head-quarters  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  on  March 
fourth,  1869,  received  the  promotion  of  lieutenant- 
general,  and  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 
division  of  the  Missouri,  of  the  Platte,  and  of  Texas, 
with  head-quarters  at  Chicago,  where  he  still  remains. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
GEORGE  BRINTON  McCLELLAN. 

Birth  and  Education. — In  the  Mexican  War. — Services  in  Surveys 
of  Railroad  Routes. — A  Model  Report. — Sent  to  the  Crimea. — 
Superintendent  of  the  Illinois  Central. — Response  to  Governor 
Dennison. — Over  the  Department  of  the  Ohio. — Virginia  Cam- 
paigns.— In  Command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. — Movement 
to  the  Peninsula. — Siege  of  Yorktown. — Army  Withdrawn. — 
McClellan's  Letter. — Again  in  Command  of  the  Potomac  Army. 
— South  Mountain  and  Antietam. — Relieved  of  his  Command  at 
Warrenton. — Nominated  for  the  Presidency. — In  Europe. — Gov- 
ernor of  New  Jersey. 

rnHE  third  day  of  December,  1826,  is  duly  vouched 
JL  for  as  the  birth-date  of  McClellaD.  His  father 
was  a  physician  of  Philadelphia,  and  in  that  city  of 
brotherly  love,  the  subject  of  this  chapter  was  born. 
His  youthful  life  ran  in  peaceful  channels  and  shel- 
tered nooks,  under  the  guiding  rays  of  kindly  home 
influences  and  the  protecting  segis  of  his  father's  roof. 
In  1846,  he  graduated  at  West  Point,  second  in  his 
class,  and  was  ordered  at  once  to  Mexico,  after  having 
received  the  brevet  of  second  lieutenant.  He  went  to 
Mexico  full  of  enthusiasm  for  the  cause,  and,  once 
among  his  soldiers,  soon  became  the  object  of  their 
devoted  love.  That  strong  personal  magnetism  which 
afterwards  so  won  his  followers  on  the  Peninsula,  here 
first  indicated  itself  He  distinguished  himself  in  the 
Mexican  war  at  Vera  Cruz,  Monterey,  Molino  del  Rey 
and  Cerro  Gordo,  being  especially  noted  for  coolness 

(287) 


288       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

under  fire.  At  Cerro  Gordo  it  was  he  who  liad  charge 
of  the  difficult  task  of  dragging  tiiose  licavy  howitzers 
up  the  rocky  steep  on  the  night  preceding  that  won- 
derful battle,  where  from  the  summit  they  blazed  vic- 
torious thunder  into  the  astonished  Mexican  ranks. 
At  Chapultepec  he  was  commended  for  "gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct,"  and  received  promotion  in  con- 
sequence. 

Between  the  Mexican  war  and  1861,  there  is  a  long 
hiatus  in  the  military  experience  of  McClellan.  But 
during  that  period  he  was  appointed  by  the  Secretary 
of  War  to  the  joint  command  of  an  expedition  having 
for  its  principal  object  "  the  discovery  and  survey  of  a 
railroad  route  from  the  Pacific  ocean  to  the  Mississippi 
river  across  the  Cascade  Range."  The  successful  exe- 
cution of  this  mission  was  especially  commended. 

In  1851,  he  had  been  ordered  to  Fort  Delaware  to 
superintend  its  construction,  and  the  next  year  accom- 
panied Captain  Randolph  B.  Marcy  in  an  exploration 
of  Red  River.  Afterwards  he  went  with  General  P.  F. 
Smith  to  Texas,  to  survey  the  rivers  and  harbors  of 
that  State. 

On  his  return  from  Oregon  lie  was  ordered  by  gov- 
ernment to  investigate  the  entire  railroad  system  (jf 
the  United  States,  "  with  a  view  to  obtain  all  necessary 
data  on  construction,  equipment  and  management  for 
the  successful  operation  of  the  Pacific  railroad."  Tliis 
report,  which  was  considered  a  model  of  clearness  and 
strength,  bocame  the  leading  authority  on  that  subject 
and  was  the  means  afterwards  of  making  him  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Illinois  Central  line. 

In  1854-5  McClellan  was  sent  on  a  secret  mission 
to  the  West  Indies,  and  subsequently  he  was  one  of  a 


GEORGE  BRINTON  McCLELLAN.  289 

commission  of  three  army  officers  despatched  to  the 
Crimea  to  study  the  organization  of  Eiiro-peau  armies. 
The  results  of  these  labors  were  published  by  order  of 
Congress,  March  second,  1861.  The  use  of  earth  for- 
tifications, rifled  arms,  railroads  as  utilized  for  pur- 
poses of  war,  the  adaptation  of  iron-plated  vessels,  the 
employment  of  steam  transports,  the  balloon  telegraph, 
the  floating  ram,  the  sanitary  commission,  the  im- 
proved hospital  and  other  improvements  in  the  art 
of  war,  we  owe,  it  is  said,  to  the  labors  of  this  com- 
mission. 

In  1857,  McClellan  became  general  superintendent 
of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  subsequently, 
also,  its  vice-president. 

Then  came  the  troubled  wave  of  civil  war,  and  on 
the  twenty-third  of  April,  1861,  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Dennison,  of  Ohio,  to  organize  the  mass  of 
unarmed  men  collected  in  that  State,  in  response  to 
the  first  call  of  the  President.  On  the  thirteenth  of 
May,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Ohio.  Then  followed  the  two  campaigns 
in  Western  Virginia,  with  the  battles  of  Grafton,  Rich 
Mountain  and  Laurel  Hill,  whose  results  gave  us  en- 
tire control  of  all  that  part  of  the  State  north  of  the 
Great  Kanawha,  including  the  contiguous  eastern 
passes.  For  these  brilliant  operations  McClellan  re- 
ceived the  thanks  of  Congress. 

On  the  twenty-second  of  July,  1861,  while  at  Bev- 
erly, conducting  affairs  for  the  relief  of  the  Upper 
Kanawha  Valley,  he  was  telegraphed  from  AVashing- 
ton  to  turn  over  his  command  to  Brigadier-General 
Rosecrans  and  go  at  once  to  the  capital.  Here  he  was 
assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 


290  HEROES   OF  THREE  WARS. 

and  immediately  began  the  organization  of  that  in- 
coherent congregation  of  volunteers  which  soon  as- 
sumed shape  under  the  effects  of  his  superior  discipline, 
and  gained  a  reputation  as  a  magnificent  body  of 
soldiery. 

The  North  Carolina  expedition  was  begun,  and 
operations  south  and  west  were  now  set  in  motion.  He 
had  been  placed  in  command  of  the  army  six  days 
after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  some  correspondence 
ensued  between  President  Lincoln  and  himself  rela- 
tive to  proposed  plans  for  the  capture  of  Richmond, 
and  offensive  movements  in  general. 

It  is  freely  accorded  by  all  that  in  McClellan's  de- 
fensive operations  about  Washington — in  the  wonder- 
ful transformation  which  he  wrought  with  the  dis- 
ordered mass  of  raw  recruits  constituting  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac — in  his  work  on  Maryland  soil  and  the 
restoration  of  West  Virginia  to  the  Union,  he  displayed 
rare  genius  and  great  qualities  as  a  general.  It  is  the 
Peninsular  campaign  which  now  followed  that  set  in 
motion  such  contrary  currents  of  opinions. 

When  the  movement  to  the  Peninsula  began,  a  large 
force  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  retained  in 
Washington  for  its  defence,  and  the  day  after  McClel- 
lan  reached  his  base  of  operations,  ten  thousand  men 
under  General  Wool  were  also  detached  from  his  com- 
mand. The  naval  armament,  too,  was  withdrawn,  and 
when  he  was  about  "turning  Yorktown  by  West 
Point,"  the  First.  Corps  of  sixty  thousand  men,  under 
McDowell,  was  suddenly  sent  to  Harper's  Ferry  by 
order  of  the  President,  instead  of  being  allowed  to  join 
him  as  he  expected. 

In    his   report   McClellan   says :    ^'  It  was  now,  of 


GEORGE  BRINTON  JSFCLELLAN.  291 

course,  out  of  my  power  to  turn  Yorktovvn  by  West 
Point.  I  had,  therefore,  no  choice  left  but  to  attack 
it  directly  in  front  as  I  best  could  with  the  force  at 
my  command." 

Then  followed  the  siege  of  that  place,  which  lasted 
until  May  fifth,  and  finally  resulted  in  the  disastrous 
retreat  to  the  James,  at  Harrison's  Landing — July 
fourth  and  fifth,  1862 — famous  at  the  time  as  the 
great  ''  change  of  base." 

In  the  following  month  the  army  "was  withdrawn  to 
the  relief  of  Pope  in  Eastern  Virginia,  and  McClellan 
was  left  for  a  brief  time  without  any  separate  command. 
While  in  this  anomalous  condition  he  wrote  the  fol- 
lowing letter  to  Washington : 

"Alexandria,  Ya.,  August  SOth,  1862. 

"  I  cannot  express  to  you  the  pain  and  mortification 
I  have  experienced  to-day  in  listening  to  the  distant 
sound  of  the  firing  of  my  men.  As  I  can  be  of  no 
further  use  here,  I  respectfully  ask  that  if  there  is  a 
prohability  of  the  conflict  being  renewed  to-morrow,  I 
mpy  be  permitted  to  go  to  the  scene  of  battle  with  my 
staif,  merely  to  be  with  my  owm  men,  if  nothing  more; 
they  will  fight  none  the  worse  for  my  being  with  them. 
If  it  is  not  deemed  best  to  intrust  me  with  the  com- 
mand even  of  my  own  army,  I  simply  ask  to  be  per- 
mitted to  share  their  fate  on  the  field  of  battle.  *  *  * 

"  I  have  been  engaged  for  the  last  few  hours,  in 
doing  what  I  can  to  make  arrangements  for  the 
wounded.  I  have  started  out  all  the  ambulances  now 
landed. 

''As  I  have  sent  my  escort  to  the  front,  I  would  be 


292        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

glad  to  take  some  of  Gregg's  cavalry  with  me,  if 
allowed  to  go." 

But  this  was  not  permitted.  In  September,  after 
Pope's  disasters,  he  was  once  more  placed  over  the 
forces  defending  Washington,  and  from  thence  followed 
Lee  into  Maryland,  where  the  battles  of  South  Moun- 
tain and  Antietam  were  fought — September  fourteenth 
and  seventeenth. 

But  the  delay  which  followed  these  movements 
created  intense  dissatisfaction  at  Washington.  On  the 
seventh  of  November,  therefore,  while  at  Warrenton, 
Virginia,  with  a  plan  of  advance  about  to  be  put  in 
operation  which  augured  the  fairest  results,  he  was 
relieved  of  his  command,  Burnside  was  substituted  in 
his  place,  and  the  military  career  of  McClellan,  with 
reference  to  the  civil  war,  ended. 

He  immediately  retired  to  New  Jersey,  and  on 
August  thirty-first,  1864,  received  the  Democratic 
nomination  for  the  presidency.  Lincoln,  however,  was 
re-elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority,  and  the  only 
States  which  gave  their  votes  to  McClellan  were 
Kentucky,  New  Jersey,  and  Delaware. 

He  resigned  his  commission  as  major-general  on 
election  day,  and  in  the  spring  of  1865,  embarked  for 
Europe.  On  his  return  to  this  country,  in  1868,  he 
was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  construction  of 
Stevens'  battery  and  also  of  the  railroad  bridge  across 
the  Hudson.  In  1870,  he  was  made  chief  engineer  of 
the  department  of  docks  in  New  York  city,  a  position 
which  he  resigned  in  1872. 

He  is  the  author  of  several  military  reports,  text- 
books, and  manuals,  which  take  high  rank  in  their 


GEORGE   BRINTON  McCLELLAN.  293 

Rcliool.     He  was  elected  governor  of  New  Jersey  in 
1877,  a  station  which  he  occupies  at  the  present  time. 

Partisan  opinions  are,  of  course,  rife  regarding  the 
conduct  of  what  is  known  as  the  Peninsular  campaign  ; 
those  w^ho  sustain  McClellan,  believing  with  him,  that 
all  that  w^as  needed  to  strike  the  final  blow  and  secure 
Richmond  after  the  seven-days'  battles,  was  to  form  a 
junction  with.  McDowell  and  his  sixty  thousand  men  ; 
and  that  the  suspension  of  this  movement  by  order  of 
the  President,  precipitated  the  disaster  of  continued 
war  and  doomed  McClellan. 

There  seems,  however,  to  be  abundant  evidence 
which  goes  to  show  that  inefficiency  of  management 
was  the  dominant  cause  of  failure  and  disaster  in  the 
miasmatic  swamps  of  the  Chickahominy,  and  afterwards. 

No  satisfactory  reason  has  ever  been  given  for  the 
five  months  of  inaction  succeeding  December,  1861, 
under  w^hich  our  army  of  one  hundred  thousand  finely 
disciplined  troops  was  obscured,  while  the  Potomac 
was  blockaded,  and  an  enemy,  inferior  in  numbers, 
equipment,  and  organization,  was  within  twenty  miles 
of  the  Union  lines. 

No  satisfactory  reason  has  ever  been  given,  why  the 
advance  upon  Richmond,  when  it  at  last  began,  was 
so  exceedingly  slow,  allowing  the  enemy  plenty  of  time 
to  make  effective  preparations  for  their  reception. 
Four  weeks  were  occupied  in  the  siege  of  Yorktown, 
when,  in  the  opinion  of  able  military  authority,  it 
might  have  been  taken  by  assault  at  once.  The  battle 
of  Williamsburg  was  said  to  have  been  fought  without 
any  concert  of  action,  and  won  by  the  heroism  of  divi- 
sion commanders  and  the  bravery  of  their  soldiers. 
Fourteen  days  were  occupied  in  marching  between 
18 


294  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

Williamsburg  and  Bottom's  Bridge,  on  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  and  an  average  of 
three  miles  a  day. 

The  battle  of  Williamsburg  was  fought  on  the  fifth 
of  May  :  had  the  approach  to  James  River  been  seized 
upon  at  once,  and  the  co-operation  of  the  navy  thus 
secured,  those  historic  seven  days  of  subsequent  battle 
might  have  been  avoided.  But  the  brave  army  was 
doomed.  According  to  some  statements,  sixty  thousand 
of  them  found  graves  in  the  Peninsula. 

Once  having  decided  on  the  retreat  from  the  Chicka- 
hominy  to  the  James,  as  a  "  change  of  base,"  that  most 
difficult  of  all  military  operations,  a  flank  march  in  the 
presence  of  a  flushed  and  exultant  foe  of  largely  supe- 
rior numbers,  was  undertaken.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
this  retreat  was  conducted  with  great  skill  and  con- 
summate generalship.  The  dissatisfaction  did  not  rest 
there,  but  with  previous  movements  which  rendered  it 
necessary. 

The  tragedies  of  Gaines'  Mill,  Savage  Station,  White 
Oak  Swamp,  Seven  Pines,  Chickahominy,  Charles' 
City,  and  Malvern  Hill,  were  heroically  enacted,  and 
the  devoted  army  at  length  reached  rest  and  safety  on 
the  banks  of  the  James.  Those  days  were,  indeed,  as 
the  general,  who  conducted  the  seven  battles,  says, 
"classical  in  American  history;  in  which  the  noble 
soldiers  fought  an  overwhelming  enemy  by  day  and 
retreated  from  successive  victories  by  night,  through  a 
week  of  battle,  closing  the  terrible  scenes  of  conflict 
w^ith  the  ever  memorable  victory  at  Malvern,  Avhere 
they  drove  back,  beaten  and  shattered,  the  entire  east- 
ern army  of  the  Confederacy."  On  the  fourth  of  July, 
after  they  had  reached  Harrison's  Landing,  McClellan 


I 


GEORGE   BRINTON  McCLELLAN.  295 

reviewed  the  troops,  and  was  received  with  irrepressi- 
ble enthusiasm,  storms  of  cheers  following  him  from 
line  to  line. 

The  Peninsular  campaign,  like  other  campaigns  that 
succeeded  it,  is  freighted  with  individual  instances  of 
heroism  and  of  dramatic  situations  of  peril  and  pathos. 

After  the  battle  of  Savage  Station,  Dr.  Marks,  chap- 
lain of  the  Sixty-third  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  rode  to 
that  place  to  see  what  could  be  done  towards  removing 
the  thousands  of  sick  and  wounded  men  collected  there. 
General  Heintzleman  said  nothing  could  be  done — 
that  the  ambulances  must  depart  empty.  It  was 
deemed  a  necessity  to  leave  the  wounded  in  the  enemy^s 
hands.  A  colonel  rode  into  the  hospital  grounds  to 
withdraw  the  pickets,  announcing  that  the  rebels  would 
be  there  in  a  half  hour.  Every  patient  who  could 
leave  his  cot,  now  endeavored  to  escape.  "I  beheld," 
says  Dr.  Marks,  "a  long,  staggering  line  of  the  patients, 
some  carrying  their  guns  and  supporting  a  companion 
on  an  arm,  others  tottering  feebly  over  a  staff  which 
they  appeared  scarcely  to  have  strength  to  lift.  One 
was  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  two  of  his  companions, 
in  the  hope  that  when  he  had  gone  a  little  distance  he 
might  be  able  to  walk.  One  had  already  sat  down, 
fainting.  Some  had  risen  from  the  first  rest  and  fell 
in  the  road,  but  after  a  few  moments  in  the  open  air 
and  stimulated  by  the  fear  of  the  enemy,  they  could 
w-alk  more  strongly.  Never  have  I  beheld  a  spectacle 
more  touching  and  more  sad.'' 

The  battle  of  Gaines'  Mill  is  described  as  especially 
picturesque.  The  plain  was  broken  into  heavily- 
wooded  crests.  The  sunlight  of  a  June  day  reflected 
tlie  weapons  of  over  a  hundred  thousand  combatants. 


296  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

The  infantry  were  defiling  in  the  open  spaces  or  climb- 
ing the  hills  or  charging  with  headlong  fury  on  the  foe. 
Cavalry  squadrons  swept  in  swift  curves  around  the 
crests,  and  flying  artillery  dashed  from  ridge  to  ridge, 
while  batteries  thundered,  and  mounted  lancers  with 
*' fluttering  pennons"  waited,  in  reserve,  along  the  edge 
of  the  ravine,  the  order  to  rush  to  battle. 

"  By  Heaven  !  it  was  a  splendid  sight  to  see, 
For  one  who  had  no  friend  or  brother  there ! " 

Rev.  William  Dickson,  chaplain  of  the  Twelfth 
Pennsylvania  Reserves,  was  in  a  hospital  in  this  ravine 
when  an  alarm  came  that  the  enemy  were  upon  them. 
He  ran  up  the  side  of  the  ravine  and  saw  the  foe  at 
hand.  At  the  same  moment  some  one  shouted  from  a 
patriot  battery  in  rear  of  him  :  "Lie  down  !  You  are 
right  in  our  way  !  " 

He  fell  on  his  face  while  a  screaming  shell  went  over 
his  head.  Knowing  that  the  guns  were  fired  in  line 
and  that  his  only  retreat  lay  along  that  line,  he  sprang 
up,  ran  a  few  steps  and  again  threw  himself— thus 
running  the  gauntlet  of  two  batteries  in  full  play. 
The  men  at  the  guns  shouted:  "Out  of  the  way,  or 
you'll  be  shot ! " 

He  shouted  back:  "Fire  away!  Til  take  care  of 
myself!"     And  he  did. 

*  Skilful  retreats  from  peril  have  contributed  as  much 
to  military  renown  as  campaigns  conducted  by  direct 
assault;  they  afford  an  opportunity  for  even  greater 
generalship ;  and  probably  no  portion  of  the  record  of 
our  civil  war  is  brighter  with  splendid  achievement 
and  valorous  daring  than  that  which  relates  the  actions 
of  those  seven  days  on  the  Peninsula.  But  McClellan 
was  censured  by  press  and  people;  everywhere  indeed, 


GEORGE  BRINTON  MoCLELLAN.  297 

except  in  the  army — which  seemed  to  idolize  him 
blindly — he  was  charged  with  the  defeat  of  that  army 
and  the  terrible  results  of  leading  it  into  the  Chicka- 
hominy  trap. 

A  committee  of  investigation,  ordered  by  Congress, 
made  a  report  which  was  the  means  of  deposing  him 
from  his  command.  The  facts  of  the  case,  in  all  their 
bearings,  are  before  the  public,  and  McClellan's  own 
report  is  very  voluminous.  The  public  can  judge 
whether  he  was  rightly  or  wrongly  condemned  for 
inefficiency.  We  leave  that  judgment  with  them  and 
with  posterity. 


CHAPTER   XXIY. 
AMBROSE   EVERETT  BURNSIDE. 

His  Scotch  Blood. — Graduates  at  West  Point. — In  New  Mexico. — 
As  an  Inventor. — Marching  to  the  Front. — At  Bull  Run. — Pro- 
motion.— In  Command  of  the  North  Carolina  Expedition. — 
Capture  of  Newbern,  Fort  Macon  and  Beaufort. — At  Antietara. 
— Slaughter  at  Fredericksburg. — Tenders  his  Resignation. — 
Brilliant  Capture  of  East  Tennessee.  —  Before  Petersburg. — 
Elected  Governor  of  Rhode  Island. — In  Congress. 

THE  career  of  Burnside  as  a  military  leader  during 
the  last  war  seems  to  be  pretty  evenly  sand- 
wiched between  great  disaster  and  brilliant  success. 
For  his  victories  in  East  Tennessee  he  received  the 
thanks  of  Congress.  His  utter  failure  before  Peters- 
burg called  forth  the  severest  censure.  These  extremes 
go  far  towards  illustrating  the  character  of  his  lead- 
ership. 

He  comes  of  Scotch  ancestry,  and  was  born  at  Lib- 
erty, Indiana,  May  twenty-third,  1824.  He  attended 
the  school  at  West  Point  and  graduated  in  1847.  He 
was  in  New  Mexico,  in  command  of  a  squadron  of 
cavalry,  and  acted  as  quarter-master  in  the  boundary 
commission  of  1851.  From  New  Mexico  he  was  sent 
to  Washington  as  bearer  of  despatches,  and  in  Decem- 
ber, 1852,  was  made  first  lieutenant.  About  this  time 
he  invented  a  breech-loading  rifle  and  made  extensive 
arrangements  for  its  manufacture,  resigning  his  com- 
mission on  that  account.  But  the  contract  for  selling 
large  quantities  to  the  government  fell  through  and  his 
(298) 


AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSWE.  299 

project  proved  a  failure.  Afterwards  he  became  treas- 
urer of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  at  the  company's 
office  in  New  York  city. 

The  war  spirit  which  flamed  over  the  land  in  1861 
found  an  immediate  response  in  him,  and  in  four  days 
after  the  President's  call  for  troops,  he  was  marching 
to  Washington  as  colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  of 
Rhode  Island  Volunteers. 

At  Bull  Run  he  commanded  a  brigade,  and  was 
complimented  by  McDowell  for  the  courageous  part  he 
took  in  that  battle.  He  was  afterwards  promoted  to  a 
brigadier-generalship. 

In  the  month  of  January,  1862,  he  commanded  an 
expedition  to  North  Carolina  for  the  capture  of  New- 
bern  and  Roanoke.  These  were  important  military 
positions,  and  the  expedition  was  planned  to  operate  in 
concert  with  McClellan  and  the  Potomac  army  in  their 
advance  to  Richmond.  The  fleet  consisted  of  twenty- 
three  gunboats  and  transports,  carrying  fifteen  thou- 
sand men.  In  his  journey  from  Hampton  Roads  he 
encountered  storm  and  misfortune,  but  at  length,  after 
surmounting  many  difficulties,  he  had  conquered  the 
coast  as  far  as  Newbern,  against  which  he  prepared  to 
move  on  the  night  of  March  twelfth.  Everything 
being  in  readiness,  the  appointed  signal  was  given,  and 
the  fleet  sailed  southward  from  Hatteras,  down  Pam- 
lico sound,  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Neuse,  and 
anchored  within  a  few  miles  of  Newbern.  A  line  of 
water-batteries  commanded  the  river,  and  field  forti- 
fications reached  inland,  connected  with  them  to  pre- 
vent the  enemy  from  advancing  by  shore.  Six  miles 
down  the  riv>er  the  guns  of  the  lower  fort  threat- 
ened the  daring  intruder,  and  from  that  point  back  to 


300       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

the  city  there  extended  a  continuous  chain  of  forts  and 
batteries.  Xear  the  city,  a  fort  mounting  thirteen 
heavy  guns  and  boinb-proof,  was  so  arranged  as  to 
command  both  the  water  and  the  only  land  approaches 
on  that  side.  In  fact,  the  entire  area  for  several  miles 
before  the  city,  was  filled  with  forts,  earthworks, 
ditches,  rifle-pits,  and  all  the  other  mechanical  api)li- 
ances  of  warfare. 

On  the  morning  of  the  thirteenth  the  troops  were 
landed  at  a  point  called  Slocum's  Creek,  sixteen  miles 
below  Newbern.  ^  Four  hours  of  battle  followed.  Then 
a  daring  assault  was  made  which  swept  everything 
before  it.  The  contest  was  severe,  the  fighting  desper- 
ate, the  victory  that  followed  brilliant  in  the  extreme. 
It  blazoned  the  name  of  Burnside  far  and  wide,  and  in 
four  days  afterwards  he  was  made  major-general.  The 
city  was  put  under  military  rule  at  once,  and  order  and 
quietness  prevailed. 

The  capture  of  Newbern  made  the  final  reduction 
of  Beaufort  and  Fort  Macon  sure,  and  eventually 
placed  Burnside  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac. 

Burnside  immediately  invested  Fort  Macon  and 
Beaufort,  and  after  much  skilful  planning  and  an 
immense  amount  of  labor,  compelled  their  surrender. 

When  McClellan  retreated  from  the  Chickahominy, 
he  took  his  army  to  Newport  News,  and  soon  after 
was  ordered  to  Fredericksburg.  He  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  South  Mountain,  and  also  in  bloody  Antietam, 
where  he  commanded  the  left  wing  of  McClellan's 
army,  and  from  some  unexplained  cause  failed  in  the 
])art  assigned  him.  McClellan  attributed  his  own 
failure  to  overthrow  Lee  at  this  point  to  Burnside's 
lack  of  co-operation. 


AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSIBE.  301 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  Antietam,  McClellan  was 
removed  and  Burnside  put  in  his  place.  He  accepted 
his  new  position  with  great  reluctance,  unfeigned  self- 
distrust,  and  only  as  a  matter  of  obedience  to  orders. 

The  battle  of  Fredericksburg  was  fought  on  the  thir- 
teenth of  December  following — an  action  precipitated, 
it  has  been  thought,  by  the  force  of  public  sentiment 
at  the  north,  which  demanded  a  decisive  forward  move- 
ment, the  key-note  of  which  was  heard  in  the  news- 
paper cry  of  "  On  to  Richmond  !^'  But  whatever  in- 
fluence brought  on  the  final  catastrophe,  it  was  a 
battle  without  apparent  results — a  grand  carnival  of 
slaughter,  where  the  bravest  of  troops  marched  to  their 
bloody  doom,  a  useless  sacrifice,  except  in  the  terrible 
lesson  learned.  Burnside's  purpose  was  to  get  in  the 
rear  of  Lee's  army,  but  failing  in  this,  he  marched 
boldly  up  to  the  lion's  mouth,  attacking  the  enemy  in 
his  intrench ments.  Crossing  the  Rappahannock,  the 
needless  butchery  w^as  enacted  on  its  south  bank,  and 
the  depleted  Union  ranks  re-crossed  to  the  northern 
shore  without  result  of  any  kind  except  the  sad  record 
of  twenty  thousand  dead  and  wounded  left  on  the 
field. 

Another  attempt  to  cross  the  Rappahannock  in  Jan- 
uary, met  with  failure  on  account  of  heavy  rains 
which  transformed  the  solid  land  into  liquid  mud, 
and  rendered  the  transit  of  an  army  next  to  an  im- 
possibility. 

Between  these  failures  and  the  violent  criticism 
wdiich  they  evoked,  Burnside  resigned,  and  Hooker 
succeeded  him  as  chief  in  command. 

He  next  figured  in  the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  over 
which    he    was    placed,  having   his    head-quarters   at 


302       HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

Cincinnati.  Here  he  succeeded  in  calling  out  a  storm 
of  opposition,  by  prohibiting  the  circulation  of  the  New 
York  World  and  the  Cliicago  TimeSy  to  suppress,  as  he 
said,  all  open  hostility  to  government.  But  excite- 
ment ran  so  high  in  consequence,  that  the  order  re- 
specting the  Chicago  Times  was  revoked. 

Then  followed  the  expedition  into  East  Tennessee, 
co-operating  with  Rosecrans.  He  made  a  brilliant 
entry  into  Knoxville,  and  by  skilful  movements  and 
rapid  marches,  surprised  and  cut  off  a  force  of  two 
thousand  at  Cumberland  Gap,  captured  them  and  with 
them  fourteen  pieces  of  artillery.  The  loyal  East 
Tennesseeans  received  him  with  the  wildest  demon- 
strations of  joy.  On  the  line  of  his  march  between 
Kingston  and  Knoxville,  "  sixty  women  and  girls 
stood  by  the  roadside,  waving  Union  flags  and  shout- 
ing:, ^Hurrah  for  the  Union  !'  Old  ladies  rushed  out 
of  their  houses  who  wanted  to  see  General  Burnside 
and  shake  hands  with  him,  and  cried,  ^Welcome!  wel- 
come. General  Burnside,  to  East  Tennessee!^"  A 
public  meeting  was  also  called,  which  he  addressed. 

Burnside  successfully  resisted  the  desperate  assault 
on  Knoxville  by  Longstreet's  army,  which  afterwards 
besieged  the  place  until  Sherman's  too  near  approach 
alarmed  them  into  retreat. 

Burnside's  military  record  between  this  date  and 
Petersburg  is  a  record  of  bravery  and  sound  judgment, 
and  for  what  he  did  in  East  Tennessee  he  received 
the  thanks  of  Congress. 

For  a  month  and  more  he  sat  down  before  one  of  the 
principal  redoubts  at  Petersburg,  busy  with  the  work 
of  excavation  and  running  a  secret  mine  under  the 
hostile  lines.     At  the  proper  moment  the  mine  was 


AMBROSE  EVERETT  BURNSIDE.  303 

fired  and  the  assaulting  column  rushed  in.  But  not 
at  once — nor  in  time.  AYhen  they  did,  it  was  too  late 
to  be  victorious.  The  enemy  had  had  time  to  recover, 
closed  around  the  Union  troops,  and  hacked  and  slew 
without  mercy.  The  mine  proved  a  success  for  the 
Confederates  rather  than  the  troops  of  Burnside. 

Of  course  this  failure  brought  down  on  his  head  a 
storm  of  censure,  and  an  investigation  was  ordered,  in 
Avhich  "  confusion  became  worse  confounded.'^  His 
resignation  was  immediately  proffered,  but  the  Presi- 
dent refused  to  accept  it.  He  was,  however,  granted 
a  leave  of  absence,  and  finally  resigned,  April  fifteenth, 
1865. 

In  1866,  he  was  elected  Governor  of  Rhode  Island, 
and  re-elected  the  succeeding  two  years.  In  1870, 
he  went  to  Europe,  and  while  there  endeavored  to 
mediate  between  the  German  and  French  belligerents, 
though  without  success.  He  has  since  gained  an 
enviable  reputation  in  Congress  as  a  faithful  represent- 
ative, and  in  private  life  is  a  man  of  fine  character  and 
high  social  standing.  Little  Rhode  Island  has  re- 
peatedly given  him  her  enthusiastic  endorsement  as  a 
leader  of  sterling  qualities. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
GEORGE  HENRY  THOMAS. 

A  Second  Washington.— Birth  and  Education.  — Promotion  for 
Bravery.  —  In  Mexico.  —  Prompt  Kesponse  at  the  Outbreak  of 
Civil  War.— The  Battle  of  Mill  Spring.— Declines  to  Supersede 
Buell. — At  Murfreesboro'. — Chickamauga. — Position  of  Troops 
Under  Thomas.— Their  Firm  Stand.—"  The  Eock  of  Chicka- 
mauga."—At  Chattanooga.— The  Atlanta  Campaign.— Grant's 
Telegram.- Battle  of  Nashville.— Thanks  of  Congress  and  Gold 
Medal.— End  of  the  War.— Goes  to  the  Pacific  Coast. 

rpHOMAS  had  so  much  grandeur  of  character,  both 
J-  in  his  military  and  private  life — so  much  equi- 
poise of  temperament,  so  much  ability  and  so  much 
modesty,  that  he  has  been  called  the  Washington  of 
the  last  war.  He  was  a  tower  of  strength  on  the  bat- 
tle-field, and  a  tower  of  wisdom  in  council.  He  had 
immense  reserve  power,  great  repose  in  action,  and 
great  comprehensiveness  of  mind.  He  was  endowed, 
also,  with  pronounced  ability  to  focalize  all  the  energies 
of  battle  upon  a  given  point — like  many  streams  con- 
verging to  make  a  mighty  river,  which  then  sweeps 
everything  before  its  resistless  rush.  This  was  illus- 
trated forcibly  at  Nashville,  and  at  Chattanooga— if, 
as  is  claimed,  the  plan  of  action  at  Missionary  Ridge 
was  his. 

When   given  the  responsibility  of  an  independent 

command,  he  never  went  into  battle  until  his  methods 

were  fully  ripened,  even  though  ordered  to  do  so  by 

his  superiors  in  rank.     The  reply  to  such  an  order  in' 

(304) 


GEORGE  HENRY  THOMAS.  305 

variably  was,  that  if  dissatisfaction  with  his  coarse 
existed,  he  would  cheerfully  act  as  subordinate  to  whoso- 
ever might  be  put  in  his  place,  but  that  if  he  were  held 
responsible,  he  could  not  move  until  his  judgment  dic- 
tated such  a  step.  This  maturity  of  action  was,  per- 
haps, one  of  the  secrets  of  his  great  success.  His  clear 
foresight  and  skill  in  direction  won  him  the  reputation 
of  being  ''the  brains  of  the  army.'' 

Thomas  was  born  on  July  thirty-first,  1816,  in 
Southampton  County,  Virginia,  and  through  his  mother 
came  of  French  Huguenot  blood.  Reared  in  wealth, 
he  was  educated  for  the  law;  but  his  decided  inclina- 
tion for  a  military  life  led  him  to  seek  admittance  at 
West  Point.  He  graduated  from  that  school  in  1840, 
ranking  twelfth  in  a  class  of  forty-five.  In  a  few 
months  afterwards  he  went  to  Florida  as  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Third  Artillery,  and  while  there  was 
brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  gallant  conduct.  ''In 
January,  1842,  his  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  New 
Orleans  barracks,  but  in  June  was  transferred  to  Fort 
Moultrie,  in  Charleston  harbor.  The  next  December 
he  was  sent  to  Fort  McHenry,  Maryland,  where,  in 
May,  he  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  of  artillery. 
The  next  spring  he  returned  to  Fort  Moultrie,  where 
he  remained  until  the  war  with  Mexico." 

After  joining  General  Taylor,  he  was  among  the 
brave  little  garrison  which  defended  Fort  Brown  on 
the  Rio  Grande,  against  such  overwhelming  odds.  At 
Monterey  he  was  brevetted  captain,  and  at  Buena  Vista 
mnjor,  for  bravery  on  the  field. 

The  fortunes  of  a  soldier  shifted  him  from  Mexico 
to  Texas  in  August,  1848,  from  thence  to  Fort  Adams, 
Rhode  Island,  in  December,  then  to  Florida  again,  and 


306  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

then,  in  1851,  to  Boston  harbor.  Three  months  after- 
■\vards  lie  was  occupying  the  post  of  instructor  of  ar- 
tillery and  cavalry  at  West  Point.  During  the  four 
years  of  his  life  here,  he  met  and  married  Miss  Kel- 
logg, of  Troy,  New  York. 

The  outbreak  of  the  last  war  found  him  in  Texas, 
but  he  immediately  reported  for  duty  and  was  ordered 
to  Carlisle  Barracks,  Pennsylvania,  to  "remount  his 
old  cavalry  regiment."  In  May,  he  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  colonel  and  commanded  a  brigade  in 
Northern  Virginia  under  Patterson.  Created  a  briga- 
dier-general of  volunteers  in  August,  he  first  distin- 
guished himself  at  the  battle  of  Mill  Spring,  on  the 
Cumberland  Piver,  in  Kentucky,  where  the  Confeder- 
ate General  Zollicoffer  met  his  death.  He  joined 
Grant's  army  just  after  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  and  par- 
ticipated in  tiie  succeeding  campaign,  during  which  he 
held  the  rank  of  major-general  of  volunteers  in  the 
army  of  the  Tennessee.  Transferred  to  the  Army  of 
the  Ohio  in  June,  on  September  eighth  he  was  placed 
in  command  of  the  post  at  Nashville.  When  he  fell 
back  to  Louisville  at  the  close  of  the  month,  a  telegram 
was  received  from  AVashington  removing  Buell  and 
appointing  Thomas  to  the  vacancy.  But  Thomas  sent 
a  despatch  in  reply,  declining  the  position  and  urging 
the  claims  of  Buell  to  be  retained.  His  earnestness 
prevailed  for  the  time,  with  government  authorities, 
and  Buell  was  kept  at  his  post. 

When  Posecrans  afterwards  succeeded  Buell  in  the 
chief  command,  his  most  faithful  adviser  and  the  one 
on  whom  he  most  relied,  was  Thomas. 

At  Murfreesboro',  Thomas  at  the  head  of  the  Four- 
teenth Corps,  held  the  centre  firm  and  fought  on  alone 


GEORGE  HENRY  TH03IAS.  307 

when  the  right  had  been  compelled  to  give  way  and 
the  enemy  were  swarming  on  all  sides  of  him.  Kose- 
crans  might  well  give  him  the  generous  praise  bestowed 
in  his  official  report  of  the  battle. 

The  next  field  of  distinction  where  Thomas  won 
immortal  laurels  was  at  Chickamauga.  The  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  fought  on  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth 
of  September/  1863,  was  the  result  of  an  attempt  by 
Bragg,  to  regain  possession  of  Chattanooga  and  the 
roads  leading  to  it,  which  he  had  been  compelled  to 
abandon  in  order  to  prevent  his  reinforcements  from 
being  hopelessly  cut  off. 

In  this  battle,  Thomas  held  the  left,  and  the  slight 
rise  of  ground  on  which  his  troops  were  posted,  af- 
forded the  key  to  the  position.  During  the  night  they 
had  built  a  rude  breastwork  of  logs  and  rails  for  their 
protection.  Soon  after  the  opening  of  battle  on  the 
second  day,  a  furious  fight  was  raging  around  the 
Union  left,  between  the  veteran  troops  of  Thomas  and 
the  attacking  lines.  Again  and  again  the  Confederates 
ciiarged  the  ranks  of  Thomas,  behind  their  breastwork 
of  logs  and  rails,  with  impetuous  fury :  but,  as  often 
as  they  charged,  they  were  hurled  back,  repulsed.  At 
eleven  o'clock,  Longstreet  brought  his  troops  to  the 
attack.  The  encounter  was  desperate  on  both  sides, 
but  Longstreet  made  a  steady  advance.  The  Confed- 
erate General  Walker  had  ordered  forward  Buckner's 
battery  of  twelve  pieces,  which  caused  a  fatal  break  in 
the  battle  line  where  the  divisions  of  Van  Cleve  and 
Palmer  were  forced  to  give  way  in  confusion,  and  gave 
deadly  aid  to  the  enemy's  onset.  The  Union  army  was 
now  cut  in  two,  and  the  rout  of  the  right  and  centre 
complete.  This  result  was,  doubtless,  due  largely  to 
the  terrible  work  of  Buckner's  battery. 


308  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Thomas  had  formed  his  line  of  battle  in  a  semi-cir- 
cular position,  with  the  right  at  the  Gap,  as  the  arc  of 
the  circle,  and  a  hill  near  its  centre  forming  the  key 
to  the  position.  His  left  rested  on  the  Lafayette  road. 
At  this  point  the  troops  which  had  hurled  back  the 
rebel  right  in  the  morning,  were  rallied,  together  with 
portions  of  Sheridan's  and  other  divisions. 

Longstreet,  sweeping  onward  with  a  career  unchecked 
during  the  day,  now  hurled  his  battalions  against  this 
position.  But  Thomas,  intrenched  behind  his  earth- 
works, held  the  Ridge  securely  against  every  assault 
of  the  enemy  and  sent  him  back  with  terrible  repulse. 
About  mid-afternoon,  the  Confederate  columns  began 
pouring  through  a  break  in  the  Union  right  flank,  but 
Granger  with  his  reserves  reaching  the  field  at  this 
time,  succeeded  in  pushing  them  back. 

The  storm  of  battle  now  broke  over  Thomas  and  his 
stalwart  men  on  Missionary  Ridge  with  greater  fury 
than  before.  His  troops,  formed  in  two  battle-lines, 
advanced  to  the  crest  of  the  Ridge  and  delivered  their 
volleys  in  rotation.  As  the  deadly  rifle-blast  of  one 
line  blazed  out  on  the  air  with  terrible  accuracy,  the 
men,  falling  back  a  little,  dropped  on  the  ground  to 
re-load,  while  the  second  line  marched  to  the  crest  and 
discharged  their  fire  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy. 
With  desperate  valor  the  Confederates  came  forward 
again  and  again  to  take  by  assault  this  strong  position  ; 
but  their  efforts  were  in  vain.  The  division  of  Preston 
succeeded  in  partly  ascending  the  hill,  but  was  swept 
back  as  the  previous  attacking  divisions  had  been, 
with  repulse  and  loss. 

At  last,  as  twilight  darkened  the  bloody  field,  the 
enemy  retired  beyond  the  range  of  our  artillery,  and 
Thomas  was  master  of  the  situation. 


GEORGE   HENRY  THOMAS.  311 

The  grand  courage  here  displayed,  the  unshaken 
firmness  and  dauntless  valor,  won  lor  the  noble  com- 
mander of  the  left,  the  title  of  the  ^^Roch  of  Chicka- 
maugaJ^ 

At  Chattanooga,  Thomas  commanded  the  centre,  on 
which  rested  the  issue  of  battle,  and  occupied  Orchard 
Knob,  overlooking  the  Confederate  rifle-pits.  Here 
he  waited  with  suppressed  excitement,  while  the 
thunder  of  battle  broke  on  his  right  and  left,  until  the 
signal  cannon-shots  told  him  he  might  bid  his  army 
move.  The  three  conquering  divisions  then  poured 
across  Chattanooga  Creek,  swept  up  the  steep  face  of 
Missionary  Ridge  and  grasped  victory  at  its  top. 
They  dealt  the  finishing  blow  in  the  fight. 

Thomas  remained  at  Chattanooga  for  the  winter, 
and  when  Sherman  made  his  grand  march  to  the  sea, 
the  brave  ^^Army  of  the  Cumberland^'  and  its  heroic 
commander  were  his  main  reliance.  They  were  con- 
stantly engaged  during  this  campaign,  and  the  battle 
with  Hood  on  the  Macon  road,  which  cut  oft*  his  sup- 
plies and  forced  him  to  retreat,  settled  the  fate  of 
Atlanta. 

It  was  previous  to  the  battle  of  Nashville,  December 

fifteenth  and  sixteenth,  1864,  that  Grant,  wondering 

at  the  delay,  telegraphed  Thomas  to  move  at  once 

upon    the   enemy.      The   answer   came   quick    from 

Thomas  that  he  was  not  ready  to  move ;  whereupon 

Grant  sent  back  word  that  he  had  more  confidence  in 

him  than  any  other  man,  and  requested  him  to  take 

his  time.     Thomas  did  take  his  time,  and  the  result 

was   a   splendid    victory.      The   two-days'    battle   at 

Nashville    was    complete,  in    plan,   in    execution,   in 

every  detail.    It  revealed  the  fine  generalship  possessed 
19 


312        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

by  Thomas  and  gave  him  a  still  higher  place  in  the 
estimation  of  the  people  and  their  government.  During 
these  two  days  of  battle  he  had  taken  "  eight  thousand 
prisoners,  between  fifty  and  sixty  pieces  of  artillery, 
one  major-general,  three  brigadier-generals,  and  more 
than  two  hundred  commissioned  officers/^  The  grand 
charge  of  the  second  day  was  spoken  of  by  a  captured 
brigadier-general  in  the  following  fashion  : 

"  Why,  sir,  it  was  the  most  wonderful  thing  I  ever 
witnessed.  I  saw  your  men  coming  and  held  my  fire, 
a  full  brigade,  too,  until  they  were  in  close  range, 
could  almost  see  the  whites  of  their  eyes,  and  then 
poured  my  volley  right  into  their  faces.  I  supposed, 
of  course,  that  when  the  smoke  lifted,  your  line  would 
be  broken  and  your  men  gone.  But  it  is  surprising, 
sir,  it  never  even  staggered  them.  Why,  they  did  not 
even  come  forward  on  a  run.  But  right  along,  cool  as 
fate,  your  line  swung  up  the  hill,  and  your  men  walked 
right  up  to  and  over  my  works  and  around  my  brigade 
before  we  knew  that  they  were  upon  us.  It  was 
astonishing,  sir,  such  fighting.'' 

This  battle  won  Thomas  the  promotion  of  major- 
general  in  the  regular  army,  and  on  March  third,  1865, 
he  received  the  thanks  of  Congress  in  consequence. 
On  the  first  anniversary  of  the  victory,  the  State  of 
Tennessee  presented  him  with  a  gold  medal,  in  com- 
memoration of  that  brilliant  day. 

The  stroke  here  administered,  so  effectually  finished 
the  enemy  that  little  remained  to  be  done.  The  troops 
of  Thomas  participated  in  the  closing  scenes  of  the  war, 
and  from  June,  1865,  to  March,  1867,  he  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  Department  of  the  Tennessee.  After- 
wards he  was  assigned  to  the  third  military  district, 


GEORGE  HENRY   THOMAS.  313 

comprising  Georgia,  Alabama,  and  Florida,  and  then 
to  the  command  of  the  "  Cumberland." 

In  1868  he  was  placed  over  the  fourth  military  divi- 
sion, which  included  Alaska  and  the  territory  on  the 
Pacific  slope.  He  declined  accepting  the  rank  of 
lieutenant-general,  on  the  ground  that  he  had  done 
nothing  since  the  war  to  entitle  him  to  promotion. 

Certainly,  such  modesty  is  rare.  He  died  in  San 
Francisco,  March  twenty-eighth,  1870,  leaving  behind 
him  a  glorious  record,  a  stainless  reputation,  and  the 
memory  of  that  true  nobility  of  character  which  con- 
fers on  its  possessor  a  rank  far  higher  than  riches  or 
aught  else  on  earth. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 
JOSKPH  HOOKER. 

Lookout  Mountain.— The  Battle  Above  the  Clouds,— The  Splendor 
of  Victory. — The  Strange  Thanksgiving  Day. — Taylor's  Descrip- 
tion.— The  Old  Flag  at  the  Top. — General  Howard  in  Lookout 
Valley. — Hooker  at  Chattanooga. — The  Peninsular  Campaign. — 
"Fighting  Joe." — Wounded. — Chief  in  Command. — Chancellors- 
ville. — The  Atlanta  Campaign. — Promotion  of  Howard. — Hooker 
Eesigns  in  Consequence. — Mustered  out  of  Service. 

THE  "battle  above  the  clouds,"  on  Lookout 
Mountain,  and  the  fame  of  Joseph  Hooker  are 
inseparably  wedded.  They  will  go  down  the  sound- 
ing corridors  of  the  Future  together,  each  reflecting 
glory  on  the  other.  All  the  surroundings  of  the  action 
imparted  to  it  the  utmost  dramatic  strength.  It  is 
not  often  that  such  a  battle-field  is  out-wrought  on  the 
map  of  war.  It  is  infrequent  for  men  to  take  the 
honor  of  leadership  from  the  hands  of  their  officers  in 
such  desperate  hazards.  But  so  it  was  at  Lookout  on 
that  Thanksgiving  day.  For  nobody  thought  of  or- 
dering a  charge  up  the  bold  and  rocky  steep,  until  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  men  overleaped  all  bounds,  and  they 
attempted  what  seemed  the  impossible.  Then  it  was 
that,  seeing  the  spirit  of  the  men,  the  order  rang  down 
the  lines,  "  forward  !  "  It  added  the  last  drop  of  en- 
thusiasm to  the  souls  of  the  valiant  ranks.  They 
rushed  up  that  steep  and  wild  battle-ground,  over 
ravines,  felled  trees,  rough  boulders,  and  the  abatis 
(314) 


I 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  315 

of  the  foe,  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  enemy's  batteries 
planted  on  its  top. 

AYrapped  round  with  clouds,  so  that  the  straining 
eyes  at  Chattanooga  could  not  see  them,  sav^e  through 
an  occasional  rift  in  the  mist,  these  noble  sons  fought 
on,  climbed  the  steep,  gained  the  summit,  drove  the  foe 
before  them,  and  unfurled  the  old  flag:  on  the  highest 
peak  of  Lookout  Mountain,  overlooking  the  Tennessee, 
fifteen  hundred  feet  below !  Poetry  and  art  have 
breathed  their  immortal  breath  upon  the  picture,  and 
will  transmit  its  living  colors  to  the  future. 

The  ever-to-be-remembered  day  was  November 
twenty-fourth,  1863.  Benjamin  F.  Taylor  has  told  his 
experience  in  that  action,  and  told  it  so  well,  that  it 
will  bear  repetition  here. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  eleven  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning 
when  the  rumble  of  artillery  came  in  gusts  from  the 
valley  to  the  west  of  Lookout.  Climbing  Signal  Hill, 
I  could  see  the  volumes  of  smoke  rolling  to  and  fro, 
like  clouds  from  a  boiling  caldron.  The  mad  surges 
of  the  tumult  lashed  the  hills  till  they  cried  aloud,  and 
roared  through  the  gorges  till  you  might  have  fancied 
all  the  thunders  of  a  long  summer  tumbled  into  that 
valley  together,  and  yet  the  battle  was  unseen.'' 

And  then  is  detailed  "  Hooker's  admirable  design. 
His  force  consisted  of  two  brigades  of  the  Fourth 
Corps,  under  the  command  of  General  Cruft;  the  first 
division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  under  General  Geary ; 
and  Osterhaus'  division,  Fifteenth  Corps,  in  reserve. 
It  was  a  formidable  business  they  had  in  hand  ;  to  carry 
a  mountain  and  scale  a  precipice  two  thousand  feet 
high  in  the  teeth  of  a  battery  and  force  of  intrenched 
brigades. 


316       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

"  Hooker  thundered  and  the  enemy  came  down  like 
the  Assyrian,  while  Cruft  on  the  right  and  Geary^s 
command  on  the  left,  having  moved  out  from  Wau- 
hatchie,  some  five  miles  from  the  mountain,  at  five  in 
the  morning,  pushed  up  to  Lookout  Creek,  threw  over 
it  a  bridge,  made  for  Lookout  Point,  and  there  formed, 
the  right  under  the  shelf  of  Lookout  Mountain,  the 
left  resting  on  the  creek.  And  then  the  play  began  :  the 
enemy's  camps  were  seized,  his  pickets  were  surprised 
and  captured,  the  strong  works  on  the  point  taken,  and 
the  Federal  front  moved  on.  And  there  they  stood 
'twixt  heaven  and — Chattanooga.  But  above  them, 
grand  and  sullen,  lifted  the  precipice,  and  they  were 
men  and  not  eagles.  The  way  was  strewn  with  natural 
fortifications,  and  from  behind  rocks  and  trees  they 
delivered  their  fire,  contesting  inch  by  inch  the  upward 
way.  The  sound  of  the  battle  rose  and  fell;  now 
fiercely  renewed,  and  now  dying  away.  And  Hooker 
thundered  on  in  the  valley,  and  the  echo  of  his  howitzers 
bounded  about  the  mountains  like  volleys  of  musketry. 
That  curtain  of  cloud  was  hung  around  the  mountain 
by  the  God  of  battles.  It  was  the  veil  of  the  temple 
that  could  not  be  rent.  A  captured  colonel  declared 
that  had  the  day  been  clear,  their  sharpshooters  would 
have  riddled  our  advance  and  left  the  command  with- 
out a  leader ;  but  friend  and  foe  were  wrapped  in  a 
seamless  mantle. 

^^And  now,  returning  to  my  point  of  observation,  I 
was  waiting  in  painful  suspense  to  see  what  would 
come  out  of  the  roaring  caldron  in  the  valley,  when 
somethinp*  was  born  out  of  the  mist — I  cannot  better 
convey  the  idea — and  appeared  on  the  shorn  side  of 
the  mountain  below,  and  to  the  west  of  the  white  house. 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  317 

It  was  the  head  of  the  Federal  column  !  And  there  it 
held,  as  if  it  were  riveted  to  the  rock,  and  the  line  of 
blue  swung  slowly  around  from  the  left  like  the  index 
of  a  mighty  dial,  and  swept  up  the  brown  face  of  the 
mountain.  The  bugles  of  this  city  of  camps  were 
sounding  high  noon,  when  in  two  parallel  columns  the 
troops  moved  up  the  mountain,  in  the  rear  of  the 
enemy^s  rifle-pits,  which  they  swept  at  every  fire.  And 
there  in  the  centre  of  the  column  fluttered  the  blessed 
flag !  ^  My  God  !  what  flag  is  that  ? '  men  cried.  And 
up  steadily  it  moved.  I  could  think  of  nothing  but  a 
gallant  ship-of-the-line  grandly  lifting  upon  the  bil- 
lows and  riding  out  the  storm.  It  was  a  scene  never 
to  fade  out.  Volleys  of  musketry  and  crashes  of  can- 
non, and  then  those  lulls  in  a  battle  even  more  terrible 
than  the  tempest.  At  four  o'clock  an  aide  came 
straight  down  the  mountain  into  the  city;  the  first 
Federal  by  that  route  in  many  a  day.  Their  ammu- 
nition ran  low — they  wanted  powder  upon  the  moun- 
tain !  He  had  been  two  hours  in  descending,  and  how 
much  longer  the  return  ! 

'^  Night  was  closing  rapidly  in  and  the  scene  was 
growing  sublime.  The  battery  at  Moccasin  Point  was 
sweeping  the  road  to  the  mountain.  The  brave  little 
fort  at  its  left  was  playing  like  a  heart  in  a  fever.  The 
cannon  on  the  top  of  Lookout  were  pounding  away  at 
their  lowest  depression.  The  flash  of  the  guns  fairly 
burned  through  the  clouds ;  there  was  an  instance  of 
silence  here,  there,  yonder,  and  the  tardy  thunder 
leaped  out  after  the  light.  For  the  first  time,  perhaps, 
since  that  mountain  began  to  burn  beneath  the  gold 
and  crimson  sandals  of  the  sun,  it  was  in  eclipse. 
The  cloud  of  the  summit  and  the  smoke  of  the  battle 


318        HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

met  half  way  and  mingled.  Here  was  Chattanooga, 
but  Lookout  had  vanished !  Then  the  storm  ceased, 
and  occasional  dropping  shots  tolled  oif  the  evening 
till  half-past  nine,  and  then  a  crashing  volley  and  a 
rebel  yell  and  a  desperate  charge.  It  was  their  good- 
night to  our  boys — good-night  to  the  mountain. 

"At  ten  o'clock  a  glowing  line  of  lights  glittered 
obliquely  across  the  breast  of  Lookout.  It  was  the 
Federal  autograph  scored  along  the  mountain.  They 
were  our  camp-fires.  Our  wounded  lay  there  through 
all  the  dreary  nights  of  rain,  unrepining  and  content. 
Our  unharmed  heroes  lay  there  upon  their  arms.  Oui 
dead  lay  there,  *  and  surely  they  slept  well.' 

"  One  thing  more,  and  all  I  shall  try  to  give  of  the 
stirring  story  will  have  been  told.  Just  as  the  sun  was 
touching  up  the  old  Department  of  the  Cumberland, 
Captain  Wilson  and  fifteen  of  the  Eighth  Kentucky, 
near  where  the  guns  had  crouched  and  growled  at  all 
the  land,  waved  the  regimental  flag  in  sight  of  Ten- 
nessee, Alabama,  Georgia,  the  old  North  State,  and 
South  Carolina,  w^aved  it  there,  and  the  right  of  the 
Federal  front,  lying  far  beneath,  caught  a  glimpse  of 
its  flutter,  and  a  cheer  rose  to  the  top  of  the  mountain 
and  ran  from  regiment  to  regiment,  through  whole 
brigades  and  broad  divisions,  till  the  boys  away 
around  in  the  face  of  Mission  Ridge  passed  it  along 
the  line  of  battle.  ^  What  is  it?  Our  flag?  Did  I 
help  to  put  it  there?'  murmured  a  poor  wounded  fel- 
low, and  died  without  the  sight. 

"  The  Stars  and  Stripes  floated  from  Lookout  on  Wed- 
nesday at  sunrise.  At  twelve  on  that  day  something 
with  the  cry  of  a  loon  was  making  its  way  up  the  river. 
Screaming  through  the  mountains   it  emerged  at  last 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  319 

into  Chattanooga,  and  its  looks  were  a  match  for  its 
lungs— an  ugly  little  craft,  more  like  a  backwoods 
cabin  adrift  than  a  steamer.  It  was  the  sweetest-voiced 
and  prettiest  piece  of  naval  architecture  that  ever 
floated  upon  the  Tennessee.  The  flag  on  the  crest  and 
the  boat  on  the  stream  were  part  of  the  same  story.  .  . 
Never  did  result  crowd  more  closely  on  the  heels  of 
action." 

General  O.  O.  Howard,  in  his  account  of  the  march 
of  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps  to  the  relief  of 
Chattanooga,  says:  ^' I  shall  never  forget  General 
Hooker's  first  visit  to  my  camp  at  Bridgeport.  It  was, 
perhaps,  the  fourth  or  fifth  of  October.  The  air  was 
damp,  but  sharp  and  penetrating.  You  could  see  every 
breath  you  exhaled.  The  Confederates  had  left  be- 
hind plenty  of  camp  rubbish  and  filth  of  all  kinds  in 
every  direction.  There  were  no  buildings  except  the 
old  mill  and  the  rough  quarter->master  shanties  for  tem- 
porary messing  and  cover.  General  Hooker  looked 
around  and  was  not  a  little  disgusted  at  the  general 
appearance  of  the  region,  as  I  also  had  been  ;  but  when 
we  came  to  the  river  his  whole  face  lighted,  and  he 
exclaimed,  '  Grand  !  grand  !  Is  it  not  ?'  So  broad,  so 
rapid,  so  full  was  its  flow  at  that  point,  that  the  sight 
filled  you  with  those  indefinable  emotions  which  strong 
and  active  life-power  is  calculated  to  inspire." 

Speaking  of  the  battle  of  Lookout  Valley,  he  says : 
"General  Hooker  left  Geary  at  Wauhatchie,  probably 
three  miles  from  our  position — an  important  point  for 
securing  the  valley.  .  .  .  Perhaps  an  hour  after  mid- 
night, in  that  country  as  yet  all  new  to  us,  we  were 
aroused  by  heavy  artillery  firing;  soon  the  noise  of 
musketry,  with  its  unmistakable  rattle,  was  mingling 


320       HEROES  OF   THREE  WARS. 

with  the  roaring  cannon.  Those  ominous  sounds 
seemed  to  come  from  the  direction  of  Geary.  I  was 
liardly  on  my  feet  before  Hooker's  message  came, 
^  Hurry,  or  you  cannot  save  Geary.  He  has  been 
attacked.'  Stein wehr  was  urged  to  hasten,  but  Schurz' 
division  being  nearest  and  first  under  arms, was  pushed 
forward  toward  the  sound,  followed  by  the  other  divi- 
sion. As  soon  as  the  troops  were  in  motion  I  went 
forward  to  General  Hooker's  position,  at  a  turn  of  the 
road  a  half-mile  nearer  Geary.  Hooker  and  General 
Butterfield,  who  was  then  his  chief-of-staiF,  were  sitting 
on  the  slope  of  a  hill  with  a  camp-fire  just  starting. 
The  night  was  chilly.  Hooker  seemed  quite  anxious, 
as  might  be  expected.  The  issues  of  a  night  engage- 
ment under  the  best  of  circumstances  are  more  than 
ordinarily  uncertain,  and  our  ignorance  of  the  situation 
of  the  country  and  of  the  enemy's  position,  taken  up 
since  nightfall,  added  to  the  uncertainty.  The  general 
was  of  opinion  that  we  should  secure  the  ridge  of  hills 
that  ran  along  on  our  side  of  Lookout  Creek  as  we 
moved  toward  Geary's  position.  To  this  end  orders 
were  given.  Then  I  said  to  General  Hooker,  ^With 
your  approval,  I  will  take  the  two  companies  of  cav- 
alry and  push  through  to  Wauhatchie.'  He  replied, 
'All  right,  Howard ;  I  shall  be  here  to  attend  to  this 
part  of  the  field.'   .... 

''After  leaving  General  Hooker,  with  the  two  com- 
panies of  horsemen,  skirting  the  Raccoon  side  of  the 
rough  valley,  I  reached  General  Geary  at  Wauhatchie 
by  three  or  three  and  a  half  in  the  morning.  There 
was  then  light  enough  (it  may  have  been  only  starlight) 
to  see  squads  of  men  moving  about  in  the  compara- 
tively open  space  just  north  of  Wauhatchie.    This  we 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  321 

observed  as  we  emerged  from  the  bushes.  The  firing 
was  all  over  and  quiet  reigned. 

"I  called  out  to  the  strangers  so  dimly  seen,  ^Who 
goes  there?'  ^  We  are  Steven's  men/  was  the  answer. 
Perceiving  that  they  belonged  to  the  enemy  I  said, 
^All  right:  have  you  whipped  the  Yankees?'  The 
same  voice  replied,  ^We  were  on  their  flank,  but  our 
men  in  front  have  gone,  and  we  cannot  find  our  way.' 
My  men  then  gradually  approached,  revealed  them- 
selves and  took  them  prisoners,  there  being  probably 
as  many  of  them  as  of  us. 

*'  I  passed  into  the  thicket  and  came  first  upon  the 
tent  of  General  George  S.  Green,  then  a  brigade  com- 
mander. He  was  sadly  wounded  in  the  face.  After  a 
moment's  delay  for  inquiry  and  sympathy,  his  officers 
conducted  me  to  Geary,  who  was  glad  enough  to  see 
me.  He  had  repulsed  the  enemy's  attack  handsomely, 
using  infantry  and  artillery.  This  was  the  place  where 
the  mules  broke  loose  and  in  terror  ran  in  squads 
through  the  enemy's  lines,  and  gave  rise  to  the  story 
told  in  verse,  entitled  ^The  Charge  of  the  Mule  Bri- 
gade.' Geary's  hand  trembled,  and  his  tall,  strong 
frame  shook  with  emotion,  as  he  held  me  by  the  hand 
and  spoke  of  the  death  of  his  son,  during  that  fearful 
night.  This  son  was  Lieutenant  Edward  R.  Geary, 
Battery  F,  Pennsylvania  Light  Artillery,  killed  at  his 
battery'  during  the  action.  In  this  way  the  soldier 
remembers  that  the  exhilaration  of  victory  was  very 
often  softened,  or  entirely  quenched,  by  real  grief  over 
its  cost,  a  cost  that  cannot  be  estimated  !" 

General  George  H.  Thomas,  in  a  complimentary 
notice  directed  to  General  Hooker,  congratulated  him 
and  the  troops  under  his  command,  on  their  brilliant 


322       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

success,  and  said  that  the  bayonet  charge  of  Howard's 
troops  and  the  repulse  by  Geary's  division  of  greatly 
superior  numbers,  who  attempted  to  surprise  him, 
would  rank  among  the  most  distinguished  feats  of  arms 
of  this  war. 

"Chattanooga  sent  Northward  a  cry  of  distress, 

For  the  men  of  the  Cumberland,  famished  and  gaunt, 
Worn  with  fighting  and  vigils  and  tattered  in  dress, 

Manned  their  guns  in  the  trenches  in  peril  and  want  • 
For  the  foe  closely  pressed  them  in  hostile  array, 

And  their  guns  shrieked  and  thundered  in  demon-like  glee, 
While  Old  Lookout's  rock  front,  lined  with  soldiers  in  gray, 

Threw  its  shadows  of  death  o'er  the  blue  Tennessee. 

"But  on  wings  of  the  lightning  that  cry  for  help  flew. 

To  Sherman,  to  Meade,  and  from  captain  to  man ; 
And  from  Vicksburg  marched  Sherman's  long  columns  in  blue ; 

And  grim  Hooker's  tried  corps,  from  the  swift  Rapidan, 
Came  with  bread  for  the  famished,  with  lead  for  the  foe, 

Gleamed  Wauhatchie's  sweet  vale  with  their  bayonets  bright ; 
Torn  and  bleeding,  the  Ferry  guards  reeled  at  their  blow, 

And  dismayed,  up  the  mountain  side  fled  in  afiright." 

And  so,  in  song  and  story,  ^^  the  Lookout  Mountain 
fight  is  fought  again  by  the  ghosts  of  the  fallen,"  and 
the  "chivalrous  figure  of  fighting  Joe  Hooker,"  sur- 
rounded by  his  staff,  is  the  most  striking  portrait  in 
the  imposing  spectacle. 

Hooker  was  born  in  Hadley,  Massachusetts,  in  1819, 
and  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1837.  He  served  in 
the  Florida  war,  and  during  the  war  with  Mexico  was 
brevetted  captain,  for  gallant  services  at  Monterey,  re- 
ceiving the  promotion  successively  of  major  and  lieu- 
tenant-colonel for  similar  conduct  at  the  National 
Bridge  and  fanwus  Chapultepec.  In  1853,  he  resigned 
his  commission  and  became  a  farmer  in  California,  but 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  323 

re-entered  the  service  in  1861,  and  in  May  was  made 
a  brigadier-general  of  volunteers.  A  year  later  he 
commanded  a  division  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  in  the  following  May  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
major-general. 

During  the  Peninsular  campaign,  he  made  himself 
conspicuous  for  bravery,  dash  and  daring  at  Williams- 
burg, Fair  Oaks,  Frazier's  Farm,  and  Malvern  Hill. 
It  was  during  this  campaign  that  he  acquired  the 
appellation  of  "Fighting  Joe."  At  the  battle  of 
Groveton,  Hooker's  division  especially  distinguished 
itself. 

During  the  succeeding  Maryland  campaign,  he  was 
assigned  to  the  First  Army  Corps  and  gained  a  splen- 
did victory  at  South  Mountain.  He  also  participated 
actively  in  the  actions  of  Bristoe,  the  second  Bull  Run, 
and  Chantilly.  At  Antietam,  his  great  resources  as  a 
commander  were  exhibited  in  bold  relief.  On  this 
field  his  white  horse  became  too  conspicuous  a  mark  for 
the  enemy,  and  while  making  a  bold  reconnoissance  he 
received  a  wound  which  compelled  him  to  retire  from 
the  field. 

On  September  twentieth  he  was  made  brigadier-gen- 
eral in  the  United  States  army,  and  at  Fredericksburg 
commanded  a  grand  division  under  Burnside.  On 
January  twenty-sixth,  1863,  he  superseded  that  general 
as  chief  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
in  May  the  disastrous  and  bloody  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville  blocked  the  wheels  of  fate  in  his  upward  career. 
It  would  seem,  in  this  action,  as  if  General  Hooker  had 
overlooked  the  fact  that  his  army  had  but  eight  days' 
supplies  at  hand;  that  a  treacherous  river  flowed 
between  him  and  his  depots ;  that  he  was  surrounded 


324       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

by  a  labyrinth  of  forests,  traversed  in  every  direction 
by  narrow  roads  and  paths,  all  well  known  to  the 
enemy,  but  unknown  even  to  most  of  his  guides; 
and  that  many  of  his  guns  of  heaviest  calibre,  and 
most  needed  in  a  deadly  strife,  were  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river. 

The  congratulatory  order  which  he  issued  afterwards, 
if  not  perfectly  satisfactory  to  the  country  and  to  the 
authorities,  was  generally  hailed  with  applause  by  the 
army,  which  recognized  in  its  sagacious  rendering  of 
our  difficulties  and  humiliations  the  meed  of  praise 
aw^arded  where  it  was  due. 

It  was  on  this  field  that  the  famous  Confederate 
General  Stonewall  Jackson  met  his  death. 

On  June  twenty-seventh  Hooker  resigned  his  com- 
mand and  was  superseded  by  Meade.  But  in  the  fol- 
lowing September,  he  was  placed  over  the  Eleventh 
and  Twelfth  Corps,  went  down  to  the  relief  of  Rose- 
crans  at  Chattanooga  —  "that  curious  place,  lying 
against  a  concave  bend  of  the  Tennessee  and  walled  in 
by  Lookout  Mountain  below  and  Missionary  Ridge 
above" — and  shortly  after  occurred  the  glorious  ^'bat- 
tle above  the  clouds,"  which  wreathed  his  name  with 
fresher  laurels  and  gave  him  the  brevet  of  major-gen- 
eral in  the  regular  army. 

In  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea.  Hooker's  Corps 
became  a  portion  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
under  Thomas,  during  which  his  leadership  lost  none 
of  its  pronounced  daring.  At  the  terrible  assault  on 
Thomas  by  Hood,  near  Peach  Tree  Creek,  July  twen- 
tieth, "Hooker  bore  the  brunt  of  the  shock," — display- 
ing the  utmost  heroism.  It  was  the  last  great  conflict 
in  which  he  participated.     In  August,  1864,  Howard, 


JOSEPH  HOOKER.  325 

his  inferior  in  rank,  was  promoted  over  him  to  the 
command  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  and  this  caused 
Hooker  to  resign. 

In  September  he  was  placed  over  the  Northern  De- 
partment, in  1865  over  the  Department  of  the  East, 
and  in  1866  over  the  Department  of  the  Lakes.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  the  volunteer  service  in  September 
of  that  year,  and  in  October,  1868,  brevetted  Major- 
General  in  the  United  States  army,  after  which  he 
retired  to  the  seclusion  of  a  private  citizen. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 
OKORGE  GORDON   MEADE. 

^ncestry. — A  Fragment  of  Eventful  History. — Birth  in  Spain. — At 
West  Point. — In  the  Florida  War.— In  the  Mexican  War. — His 
Part  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign. — At  Antietam. — In  Command 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. — A  Kemarkable  Order. — At  Get- 
tysburg.— The  Desperate  Last  Effort. — His  Report. — Congrat- 
ulatory Address. — Thanks  of  Congress. — Advance  to  the  Eappa- 
hannock. — Close  Friendship  between  Meade  and  Grant. — Over 
the  Atlantic  Department. — Death  in  Philadelphia. 

GENERAL  MEADE  came  of  a  family  which  had 
an  eventful  history. 

His  father,  having  incurred  the  ill-will  of  certain 
members  of  the  council  of  war,  in  Spain,  was  imprisoned 
for  two  years  in  the  castle  of  Santa  Catalina,  being  re- 
leased only  at  the  demand  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment. In  1819,  he  was  awarded  a  certificate  of 
debt  amounting  to  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, for  losses  incurred  at  that  time ;  but  the  fund  was 
distributed  before  the  original  vouchers  could  be  pro- 
cured. Such  lawyers  as  Webster,  Clay  and  Choate 
afterwards  endeavored  in  vain  to  obtain  it.  He  was 
reputed  to  have  possessed  the  finest  private  gallery  of 
paintings  and  statuary  in  th-e  country,  and  owned  the 
only  bust  of  Washington  taken  from  life.  The  grand- 
father of  General  Meade  was  a  merchant  in  Philadel- 
phia and  made  the  continental  government  a  present 
of  ten  thousand  dollars  in  gold. 

George  Gordon  was  born  in  Cadiz,  Spain^  in  1816. 
(326) 


GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE.  327 

He  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1839,  served  in  the 
Florida  war,  and  a  year  after  its  termination  resigned 
his  lieutenant's  commission.  In  1842,  he  re-entered  the 
army  as  second  lieutenant  of  topographical  engineers. 

In  the  Mexican  war  he  was  on  the  staff  of  both 
General  Taylor  and  Scott,  and  distinguished  himself  at 
Palo  Alto,  Resaca  and  Monterey.  He  was  brevetted 
first  lieutenant  for  his  services,  and  on  his  return  home, 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  presented  him  with  a  sword. 

In  August,  1851,  he  was  given  a  full  lieutenancy, 
and  ten  years  later,  during  the  epoch  of  the  civil  war, 
in  August,  1861,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brig- 
adier-general of  volunteers.  This  was  after  the  battle 
of  Bull  Run.  During  the  Peninsular  campaign  he 
fought  bravely — was  badly  wounded  at  Glendale,  and 
when  McClellan  went  to  Maryland,  commanded  a  di- 
vision in  Hooker's  Corps.  At  Antietam,  he  held  the 
centre  and  led  a  desperate  charge  against  the  enemy  at 
the  beginning  of  the  action.  In  this  engagement  he 
had  two  horses  shot  under  him,  and  was  himself 
wounded. 

After  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  when  Hooker 
resigned  the  chief  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  Meade — to  the  surprise  of  the  country  at 
large — was  elevated  to  the  position.  His  order,  on 
assuming  command,  was  so  remarkable  for  modesty 
and  a  certain  reserve  strength,  that  to  give  it,  is  to 
illustrate  his  character  as  a  general. 

By  direction  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  I  hereby 
assume  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  As  a  soldier  in 
obeying  this  order,  an  order  totally  unexpected  and  unsolicited,  I 
have  no  promises  or  pledge  to  make.  The  country  looks  to  this 
array  to  relieve  it  from  the  devastation  and  disgrace  of  a  hostile 
20 


328       HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

invasion.  Whatever  fatigues  and  sacrifices  we  may  be  called  upon 
to  undergo,  let  us  have  in  view  constantly  the  magnitude  of  the 
interests  involved,  and  let  each  man  determine  to  do  his  duty,  leav- 
ing to  an  all-controlling  Providence  the  decision  of  the  contest.  It 
is  with  just  diffidence  that  I  relieve  in  command  of  this  army  an 
eminent  and  accomplished  soldier,  whose  name  must  ever  be  con- 
spicuous in  the  history  of  its  achievements ;  but  I  rely  upon  the 
hearty  support  of  my  companions  in  arms,  to  assist  me  in  the  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  the  important  trust  which  has  been  confided 
to  me. 

The  desperate,  three-days'  battle  of  Gettysburg  soon 
followed,  and  here  the  noble  commander  won  an  en- 
during fame. 

The  culminating  action,  on  the  third  day,  under  the 
blaze  of  a  hot  July  sun,  was  ushered  in  by  one  of  the 
most  terrific  cannonades  on  record.  The  Confederates 
seemed  to  have  gathered  up  all  their  strength  to  hurl  it 
in  one  last,  fierce,  desperate  effort  on  our  resisting  ranks. 
The  flower  of  Lee's  army  swept  grandly  up,  like  a  vast 
tidal  wave,  only  to  be  crushed  and  torn  and  broken  by 
our  enfilading  fires  "from  half  a  score  of  crests,"  and 
hurled  in  scattered  fragments  back.  Thus  environed 
by  a  blazing  semi-circle  of  deadly  fire,  they  could  not 
escape,  and  especially  on  the  centre  and  left  an  immense 
number  of  prisoners  were  captured,  during  the  last  half 
hour.  But  the  Second  Corps,  under  Hancock,  bore  the 
brunt  of  the  battle-shock.  There  it  surged  most  heav- 
ily against  our  lines — became  almost  resistless  and  at 
times  threatened  to  break  and  dash  in  pieces  the  brave 
front  opposed  by  Hancock  and  his  grand  Second  Corps. 

Our  rifle-pits  were  barricaded  with  fence  rails,  and 
the  Confederates  under  Pickett,  Longstreet  and  A.  P. 
Hill  swept  up  with  splendid  front,  reserving  their  fire 
until  they  reached  the  Emmitsburg  road.     Then  came 


GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE.  329 

a  crash  from  the  rifles  and  a  thunder  blast  from  the 
artillery.  Hancock  was  carried  from  the  field  wounded. 
The  command  then  devolved  upon  Gibbon,  who  rose 
to  the  fearful  crisis.  He  ordered  the  men  to  reserve 
their  fire  until  the  enemy  were  at  short  range.  Then 
the  guns  belched  forth  in  sudden  flame  and  the  enemy's 
advance  line  withered  before  it.  The  second  line,  un- 
dismayed, rushed  on,  over  the  bodies  of  their  slain 
comrades,  up  to  the  barricaded  pits,  and  were  upon  our 
gunners  at  their  pieces.  But  at  this  fatal  moment,  a 
storm  of  grape  from  the  enfilading  guns  on  Cemetery 
Hill,  cut  down  their  advance,  and  the  line  "reeled 
back,"  crushed  into  fragments.  Our  troops  behind  the 
guns  rushed  forward  and  made  captures  by  the  hun- 
dreds and  thousands.  "An  entire  regiment  threw 
down  its  arms,  and  Gibbon's  old  division  took  fifteen 
stand  of  colors." 

What  was  left  of  the  broken  attacking  lines  now 
fell  back.  They  gathered  themselves  together  "and 
slowly  marched  away.  It  was  not  a  rout:  it  was  a 
bitter,  crushing  defeat." 

On  the  evening  of  July  third,  1863,  General  Meade 
penned    the    following    despatch   from    army   head- 
quarters : 
"  To  Major-General  Halleck,  General-in-Chief  : 

"The  enemy  opened  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  from  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  guns.  They  concentrated  upon  my  left  cen- 
tre, continuing  without  intermission  for  about  three  hours,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time  he  assaulted  my  left  centre  twice,  being, 
upon  both  occasions,  handsomely  repulsed  with  severe  loss  to  them, 
leaving  in  our  hands  nearly  three  thousand  prisoners.  Among  the 
prisoners  are  Major-General  Armistead,  and  many  colonels  and 
officers  of  lesser  note.  The  enemy  left  many  dead  upon  the  field, 
and  a  large  number  of  wounded  in  our  hands.  The  loss  upon  our 
side  has  been  considerable.  Major-General  Hancock  and  Brigadier- 
General  Gibbon  were  wounded. 


330  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

"After  the  repelling  of  the  assault,  indications  leading  to  the 
belief  that  the  enemy  might  be  withdrawing,  an  armed  reconnois- 
Bance  was  pushed  forward  from  the  left,  and  the  enemy  found  to  be 
in  force.     At  the  present  hour  all  is  quiet. 

"  The  New  York  cavalry  have  been  engaged  all  day  on  both 
flanks  of  the  enemy,  harassing  and  vigorously  attacking  him  with 
great  success,  notwithstanding  they  encountered  superior  numbers, 
both  of  cavalry  and  artillery.     The  army  is  in  fine  spirits. 

"George  G.  Meade,  Major- General  Commanding.^* 

On  the  fourth  of  July  morning  he  also  issued  a 
congratulatory  address  to  the  army,  thanking  them  for 
the  "  glorious  result  of  the  recent  operations.'^  He  says  : 

*'  Our  enemy,  superior  in  numbers  and  flushed  with 
the  pride  of  a  successful  invasion,  attempted  to  over- 
come or  destroy  this  army.  Utterly  baffled  and  defeated, 
he  has  now  withdrawn  from  the  contest. 

"  The  privations  and  fatigues  the  army  has  endured, 
and  the  heroic  courage  and  gallantry  it  has  displayed, 
will  be  matters  of  history  to  be  ever  remembered. 

"Our  task  is  not  yet  accomplished,  and  the  com- 
manding general  looks  to  the  army  for  greater  efforts 
to  drive  from  our  soil  every  vestige  of  the  presence  of 
the  invader." 

President  Lincoln  made  a  brief  yet  comprehensive 
announcement  to  the  country  on  the  same  day,  in 
which  he  said  that  the  army  at  Gettysburg  had  covered 
itself  with  the  "  highest  honor,"  and  requested  that  the 
day  should  be  remembered  with  thanksgiving. 

The  victories  of  Gettysburg  and  Vicksburg  occurred 
on  the  same  date,  and  the  destinies  of  the  two  generals 
who  led  in  these  actions  were  afterwards,  during  the 
war,  strangely  mingled. 

In  January,  18G6,  General  Meade  received  the 
thanks  of  Congress  "  for  the  skill  and  heroic  valor  with 


GEORGE  GORDON  MEADE.  331 

which,  at  Gettysburg,  he  repulsed,  defeated,  and  drove 
back,  broken  and  dispirited,  the  veteran  Army  of 
■Rebellion." 

Meade's  advance  to  the  Rappahannock  afterwards 
was  marked  by  the  battles  of  Bristoe,  Brandy  Station, 
New  Baltimore,  Robertson's  River,  Kelly's  Ford,  and 
Rappahannock  Bridge;  but  no  general  engagement 
took  place  until  the  next  spring.  He  remained  at  the 
head  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but  acted  in  such 
close  conjunction  with  Grant,  who  had  been  made 
lieutenant-general,  that  his  movements  after  that 
period  must  be  attributed  to  the  united  counsel  of  both. 
Grant  exhibited  the  greatest  possible  confidence  in  him, 
and  he  always  proved  equal  to  the  grand  military 
achievements  committed  to  his  charge. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  placed  over  the  entire 
Atlantic  Department. 

He  died  in  Philadelphia,  on  November  sixth,  1872, 
in  a  house  which  his  countrymen  had  presented  to  his 
wife.  A  fund  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  was 
afterwards  subscribed  for  his  family. 

The  military  as  well  as  private  character  of  General 
Meade  was  full  of  caution,  full  of  reliability,  full  of 
goodness  and  rare  modesty.  No  breath  of  detraction 
obscured  his  fair  fame,  nor  envy  marked  him  for  its 
poisoned  arrows.  The  heroic  memories  of  the  field  of 
Gettysburg  will  enfold  his  noble  dust  in  a  cloud  of 
perpetual  incense,  and  transmit  to  posterity  his  best 
eulogy. 


CHAPTER    XXyill. 
HENRY  ^ATARNER  SLOCUM. 

Birth  and  Education.— A  Lawyer  in  Syracuse.— On  the  War-Path. 
— In  the  Chickahominy. — At  Antietani,  South  Mountain  and 
Chancellorsville.— The  Field  of  Gettysburg.— The  Repulse  of 
Ewell's  Troops. — In  Tennessee. — Commanding  the  Vicksburg 
District.  —  The  Georgia  Campaign.  —  Marching  through  the 
Enemy's  Country. — Battle  of  Bentonville. — A  Splendid  Fight. — 
Genius  of  Slocum. 

THIS  brave  and  noble  general  must  have  been  born 
under  auspicious  planetary  combinations  to  have 
won  the  reputation  of  never  failing  in  any  enterprise 
he  undertook,  and  to  unite  in  his  individual  person  so 
many  rare  qualifications  as  a  man  and  a  soldier. 

He  was  born  in  the  Empire  State,  at  Delphi,  Onon- 
daga County,  September  twenty-fourth,  1827.  Like  so 
many  others  of  our  successful  war  generals,  he  received 
his  military  education  at  West  Point,  from  whence  he 
graduated  in  1852.  Then  he  went  to  Florida  as  second 
lieutenant  in  the  First  artillery,  and  was  subsequently 
sent  to  Charleston  Harbor,  and  promoted  to  first  lieu- 
tenant. At  length  he  grew  tired  of  garrison  life,  and 
in  1857  resigned  his  commission  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Syracuse,  New  York,  where  he  began  the  practice 
.  of  law. 

But  when,  in  1861,  the  tocsin  blast  of  war  sounded 

through  our  country,  and  the  safety  of  the  Union  was 

menaced,  Slocum  responded  at  once  to  the  call   and 

joined    the   great   army  of  patriots   marching  to  the 

(332) 


HENRY  WARNER  SLOCUM.  333 

front.  He  led  the  "gallant  Twenty-seventh  Regi- 
ment" at  Manassas,  and  received  his  first  badge  of 
honor  in  the  cause — a  wound  in  the  thigh. 

In  August  he  was  made  brigadier-general  and  placed 
over  a  brigade  in  Franklin's  division,  and  afterwards, 
on  promotion  of  Franklin,  was  put  in  command  of  the 
division. 

He  took  part  in  the  seven  days'  battles  of  the  Chick- 
ahominy,  and  on  July  fourth  of  that  year,  just  after  the 
tired  army  had  reached  the  banks  of  the  James,  he  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general.  He  com- 
manded a  division  under  McClellan  at  Antietam  and 
South  Mountain,  and  distinguished  himself  in  both 
those  battles. 

At  Chancellorsville  he  had  charge  of  the  Fifth, 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps,  and  sustained  his  part  in 
tliat  disaster  with  more  than  heroic  bravery. 

On  the  field  of  Gettysburg  his  conduct  shone  out 
with  special  lustre,  even  when  heroism  was  the  rule,  and 
other  leaders  won  deathless  distinction  for  their  leader- 
ship. On  the  second  day  of  that  awful  fight,  Slocum 
was  in  command  of  the  right,  and  had  under  him  the 
Twelfth  Corps  and  a  portion  of  the  Second  and  Sixth. 
He  held  a  strong  position ;  but  the  left  wing  being 
heavily  pressed,  reinforcements  from  his  command  were 
repeatedly  sent  them,  leaving  a  very  much  weakened 
force  to  defend  his  own  ground.  The  enemy,  having 
failed  to  make  an  impression  on  the  Union  left,  threw 
the  whole  force  of  his  battalions  on  the  thin  opposing 
line  of  Slocum.  Slocum  made  a  splendid  stand,  but 
could  not  be  reinforced  fast  enough  to  maintain  his 
ground,  and  at  last  fell  back  a  short  distance.  Ewell 
endeavored  to  press  his  advantage,  and  his  troops  came 


334  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

on  with  wild  yells — in  vain.  The  dauntless  band  stood 
firm.  At  dawn,  on  the  following  morning,  Slocum 
drew  his  army  up  for  an  attack,  determined  to  win 
back  the  strong  position  he  had  yielded  on  the  previous 
evening.  He  was  met  half  way  by  a  reckless  charge 
from  Ewell's  men.  It  was  indeed  "desperation  against 
courage."  Slocum's  line  held  their  ground  without 
flinching.  Yolley  after  volley  flashed  out  from  their 
ranks,  and  the  firing  became  so  rapid  that  a  cloud  of 
smoke  enveloped  them  during  the  entire  action,  which 
raged  without  cessation  for  six  hours.  Ewell  hurled 
his  men  against  this  wall  of  smoke  and  fire  again  and 
again,  only  to  be  sent  back  with  awful  repulse.  The 
troops  in  gray  fought  like  demons.  "  It  was  hard  to 
believe  such  desperation  voluntary.  It  was  harder  to 
believe  that  the  army  which  withstood  and  defeated  it 
was  mortal." 

After  Chickamauga,  Slocum  was  sent  to  Tennessee 
to  guard  the  line  of  communication  between  Nashville 
and  Chattanooga,  and  when  the  Atlanta  campaign  was 
organized,  and  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps  were 
consolidated  into  the  Twentieth  and  given  to  Hooker, 
Slocum  was  put  in  command  of  the  Yicksburg  dis- 
trict. From  this  point  he  destroyed  the  railroad 
bridges  at  Jackson,  over  Pearl  Eiver,  and  while  re- 
turning from  this  expedition,  a  heavy  force  of  the 
enemy  concentrated  in  his  rear,  with  the  object  of 
severing  him  from  his  base.  But  the  brave  com- 
mander was  equal  to  this  desperate  emergency,  and 
after  a  severe  battle,  cleared  his  way  to  Yicksburg. 

In  a  few  days  afterwards  he  took  a  force  to  Port 
Gibson  to  prevent  reinforcements  from  reaching  Hood, 
and  had  a  battle  near  Grand  Gulf — a  night  attack  by 
the  enemy,  whom  he  signally  repulsed. 


HENRY  WARNER  S LOCUM.  335 

Slocum  took  Hooker's  place  over  the  old  Twentieth 
Corps  when  that  general  was  relieved,  and  guarded  the 
Chattahoochie.  In  Sherman's  Georgia  campaign,  he 
had  charge  of  the  left  wing  and  marched  eastward 
along  the  line  of  the  Atlanta  and  Augusta  railroad, 
which  he  destroyed  as  he  went.  He  made  a  successful 
march  to  Milledgeville,  the  capital  of  the  State.  "  The 
mayor  and  officers  of  the  city  met  him,"  as  he  entered 
it,  "  formally  tendering  its  surrender,  and  begging  that 
private  property  might  be  saved  from  destruction,  and 
the  people  from  violence.  Slocum  curtly  replied  that 
he  did  not  command  a  band  of  desperadoes  and  cut- 
throats." 

At  Milledgeville  the  two  wings  of  the  army  united 
and  marched  into  Savannah  together.  After  a  month's 
rest  they  were  again  on  the  march  northward.  Slocum, 
with  the  left  wing,  was  sent  up  the  Savannah  River  to 
threaten  Augusta.  He  found  the  country  flooded  from 
the  swollen  river  which  had  overflowed  its  banks,  owing 
to  a  heavy  rainfall.  But  his  noble  troops  bravely 
breasted  the  floods,  rebridged  the  streams  and  cleared 
the  roads,  which  had  been  obstructed  by  felled  trees 
and  other  debris. 

Having  drawn  the  enemy's  forces  into  Augusta  from 
his  near  approach  to  that  place,  he  turned  about  and 
crossed  the  upper  portion  of  the  State.  The  two  wings 
then  marched  towards  Columbia,  and  from  Columbia 
Slocum  made  a  feint  in  the  direction  of  Charlotte, 
while  his  real  destination  was  Fayetteville.  When 
Sherman  went  from  Fayetteville  to  Goldsboro',  Slocum 
was  despatched  to  threaten  Raleigh. 

At  Bentonville,  he  came  unexpectedly  upon  the 
combined  forces  of  Johnston,  Hardee,  and  Hoke ;  and 
with   half  the  number  to  oppose  them,  he  made  a 


336       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

perilous  but  successful  fight.  The  onset  was  of  the 
most  desperate  character,  for  the  enemy  expected  to 
overpower  him  by  mere  weight  of  numbers,  and  prob- 
ably would  have  done  so  with  a  less  able  general  in 
command  than  Slocum.  One  after  another  the  Con- 
federate columns  were  hurled  forward  and  as  often 
were  sent,  broken  and  bleeding,  back.  Six  successive 
assaults  were  thus  made  within  an  hour,  and  the  last 
desperate  charge  caused  a  momentary  break  in  Slocum's 
line;  but,  quickly  recovering,  his  troops  repelled  as 
before  the  shock  of  onset. 

The  battle  of  Bentonville  was  fought  on  the  nine- 
teenth of  March,  and  proved,  as  every  preceding  action 
had  done  in  which  he  was  engaged,  the  great  general- 
ship of  Slocum.  His  entire  career  during  the  war  was 
one  of  unequivocal  success. 

Sherman's  victorious  marches  might  not  have  proven 
so  victorious  without  the  disciplined  and  able  concert 
of  action  afforded  by  Thomas  and  Slocum,  command- 
ing the  two  wings  of  the  conquering  host. 

The  Twentieth  Corps,  under  Slocum's  effective  dis- 
cipline, gained  a  splendid  reputation  for  its  invincible 
qualities,  and  never  failed  in  an  emergency. 

General  Slocum  won  the  reputation  of  coolness  in 
danger,  of  being  always  able  to  meet  that  danger,  how- 
ever unexpected  and  threatening,  and  of  a  comprehen- 
sive grasp  of  mind  which  could  seize  upon  and  master 
the  complications  of  a  battle-field  at  once.  He  never 
failed  in  anything.  His  war  record,  from  beginning 
to  end,  is  one  of  rare  achievement  and  a  glorious  adhe- 
rence to  patriotic  duty. 

After  the  war,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
Department  of  the  Mississippi. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
JAMES   BIRDSEYE   McPHERSON. 

His  Ability. — Ancestry  and  Early  Life. — Superior  Scholarship  at 
West  Point. — In  New  York  Harbor. — On  the  Pacific  Coast. — 
Sent  to  Boston  Harbor. — Slow  Promotion. — On  Halleck's  Staff. — 
Services  at  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson. — Engineering  Work  at 
Corinth.  —  His  First  Independent  Command.  —  Vicksbnrg. — 
Grant's  Endorsement. — With  Sherman. — In  Command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee. — Postponement  of  Marriage. — March  to 
the  Sea. — Battle  with  Hood. — His  Death. — Grant's  Letter. 

THE  military  genius  of  McPherson  was  of  a  high 
order.  Comprehensive  in  his  grasp  of  situations, 
he  seemed  always  to  know  just  the  right  combination 
necessary  to  achieve  success.     He  never  lost  a  battle. 

His  character  as  a  soldier  and  man  was  both  noble 
and  knightly.  Perhaps  no  officer  in  the  last  war  better 
exemplified  the  definition  of  a  hero.  He  could  com- 
mand not  only  the  respect  but  the  love  of  those  around 
him.  In  order  to  do  this  a  general  must  be  endowed 
with  something  more  than  soldierly  qualities — he  must 
have  essential  goodness  of  heart. 

Grant  and  Sherman  both  cherished  for  McPherson  a 
deep  and  warm  regard,  and  when  the  news  of  his  death 
reached  the  commander-in-chief  of  our  armies,  he  burst 
into  tears.  Sherman,  too,  gave  way  to  deep  grief  when 
the  body  of  McPherson,  pallid  in  death,  was  brought 
to  his  head-quarters. 

It  was  at  the  cost  of  such  precious  lives  as  these  that 

the  country  struggled  through  its  four  years'  baptism 

of  war. 

(337) 


338       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

McPherson  was  born  in  Sandusky  County,  Ohio,  on 
November  fourteenth,  1828,  and  as  his  name  indicates, 
was  of  Scotch  extraction.  He  entered  West  Point 
when  twenty-one  years  old  and  at  once  gained  recog- 
nition for  superior  scholarship  and  ability.  He  grad- 
uated at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1853,  was  made  second 
lieutenant  of  engineers  by  brevet,  and  appointed  to  the 
post  of  Assistant  Instructor  of  Practical  Engineering 
at  the  Academy — ^'a  compliment  never  before  or  since 
awarded  to  so  young  an  officer." 

A  year  afterwards  he  was  made  Assistant  Engineer 
on  the  defences  of  New  York  Harbor,  and  in  the 
Hudson  River  improvements  below  Albany.  From 
the  Hudson  he  went  to  Fort  Delaware,  and  from  there 
to  California,  where  he  had  charge  of  the  works  on 
Alcatras  Island,  in  San  Francisco  bay.  While  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  in  1858,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
first  lieutenant,  and  his  pronounced  engineering  skill 
received  some  recognition.  When  the  war  broke  out 
he  was  sent  to  take  charge  of  the  Boston  Harbor  for- 
tifications, being  created,  meantime,  junior  captain  of 
his  company. 

The  fairy  of  good  luck  or  the  presiding  spirit  of  in- 
scrutable fate  now  touched  the  current  of  aifairs  in  his 
life,  and  gave  him  what  all  must  have  who  win  the 
silver  stars  of  fame — opportunity.  For,  on  the  acces- 
sion of  Halleck  over  the  Western  Department,  Mc- 
Pherson became  his  aide,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Busy  with  engineering  duty  in  Missouri,  no 
hint  of  his  greatness  appeared  until  he  was  made  chief 
eno-ineer  in  Grant's  movements  against  Forts  Henry 
and  Donelson.  For  these  services  he  received  the  rank 
of  brevet-major  of  engineers,  and  after  Pittsburgh  Land- 


JAMES  BIRDSEYE  McPHERSOK  339 

ing  the  promotion  of  brevet  lieutenant-colonel  was 
conferred  on  him.  He  did  not  become  colonel  until 
the  following  May. 

After  his  splendid  engineering  work  against  Corinth, 
under  Halleck,  he  was  made  brigadier-general  of  vol- 
unteers, and  his  promotion  thenceforward  went  on 
more  in  accord  with  his  deserts  than  it  had  previously 
done.  When  Grant  became  commander  in  the  West, 
McPherson  was  appointed  superintendent  of  all  United 
States  military  railroads  in  the  Department  of  Western 
Tennessee;  and  after  the  repulse  of  the  enemy  at 
Corinth  by  Rosecrans,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
pursuit  and  received  the  rank  of  major-general  of  vol- 
unteers, dating  from  October  eighth. 

The  first  battle  in  which  he  held  undisturbed  com- 
mand was  fought  within  a  mile  of  Lamar,  about  eight 
miles  from  Lagrange,  where  his  head-quarters  had  been 
established.  Grant,  under  whose  direction  he  acted, 
considered  this  reconnoissance  one  of  especial  impor- 
tance. 

At  the  point  named,  McPherson  confronted  a  force 
greatly  outnumbering  his  own,  and  by  sending  his  cav- 
alry in  a  wide  detour  to  the  enemy's  left,  made  a  simul- 
taneous attack  in  the  rear  and  flank.  The  ruse  was 
eminently  successful  and  the  Confederate  forces  under 
Price  fled  panic-stricken  to  Holly  Springs,  spreading 
the  report  that  Grant's  entire  army  was  in  pursuit. 
The  manner  in  which  this  fight  was  conducted  gave 
evidence  of  marked  genius  in  leadership,  and  won  for 
its  general,  proper  recognition. 

In  the  operations  now  inaugurated  against  Vicks- 
burg,  McPherson  bore  a  conspicuous  part.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Port  Gibson,  and  the  brilliant 


340        HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

victories  at  Jackson  and  Cliampion  Hill  were  gained 
under  his  immediate  generalship. 

During  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  his  corps,  the  brave 
and  renowned  Seventeenth,  held  the  centre  and  made 
itself  exceedingly  effective.  After  the  occupation  of 
Vicksburg,  the  endorsement  given  him  by  Grant,  in 
recommending  him  for  promotion,  was  emphatic  to  an 
unusual  degree.  *'He  has  been  with  me,"  said  that 
General,  "in  every  battle  since  the  commencement  of 
the  rebellion,  except  Belmont.  At  Forts  Henry  and 
Donelson,  Shiloh  and  the  siege  of  Corinth,  as  a  staff 
officer  and  engineer,  his  services  were  conspicuous  and 
highly  meritorious.  At  the  second  battle  of  Corinth, 
his  skill  as  a  soldier  was  displayed  in  successfully  car- 
rying reinforcements  to  the  besieged  garrison,  when  the 
enemy  was  between  him  and  the  point  to  be  reached. 
In  the  advance  through  central  Mississippi,  General 
McPherson  commanded  one  wing  of  the  army,  with 
all  the  ability  possible  to  show,  having  the  lead  in  the 
advance  and  the  rear  in  retiring. 

"  In  the  campaign  and  siege  terminating  with  the 
fall  of  Vicksburg,  General  McPherson  has  filled  a  con- 
spicuous part.  At  the  battle  of  Port  Gibson  it  was 
under  his  direction  that  the  enemy  was  driven  late  in 
the  afternoon  from  a  position  that  they  had  succeeded 
in  holding  all  day  against  an  obstinate  attack.  His 
corps,  the  advance  always  under  his  immediate  eye, 
were  the  pioneers  in  the  movements  from  Port  Gibson 
to  Hankinson's  Ferry.  From  the  north  fork  of  the 
Bayou  Pierre  to  Black  Eiver,  it  was  a  constant  skir- 
mish, the  whole  skilfully  managed.  The  enemy  was 
so  closely  pursued  as  to  be  unable  to  destroy  their 
bridge  of  boats  after  them.     From  Hankinson's  Ferry 


JAMES  BIRDSEYE  McPHERSON  34^ 

to  Jackson,  the  Seventeenth  Corps  marched  over  roads 
not  travelled  by  other  troops,  fighting  the  entire  battle 
of  Raymond  alone ;  and  the  bulk  of  Johnston's  army 
was  fought  by  this  corps,  entirely  under  the  manage- 
ment of  General  McPherson.  At  Champion's  Hill 
the  Seventeenth  Corps  and  General  McPherson  were 
conspicuous.  All  that  could  be  termed  a  battle  there 
was  fought  by  the  divisions  of  General  McPherson's 
Corps  and  General  Hovey's  division  of  the  Thirteenth 
Corps.  In  the  assault  of  the  twenty-second  of  May  on 
the  fortifications  of  Vicksburg,  and  during  the  entire 
siege,  General  McPherson  and  his  command  took  un- 
fading laurels.  He  is  one  of  the  ablest  engineers  and 
most  skilful  generals.  I  would  respectfully  but  ur- 
gently recommend  his  promotion  to  the  position  of 
brigadier-general  in  the  regular  army.'' 

In  February,  1864,  McPherson  joined  Sherman  in 
his  raid  to  Meridian,  and  when  Sherman  became  com- 
mander of  the  Department  of  the  Mississippi,  he  was 
placed  over  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  The  appoint- 
ment reached  him  just  as  he  was  about  taking  leave 
of  absence  to  fulfil  a  marriage  engagement  with  a 
young  lady  in  Baltimore.  The  marriage  was  deferred 
in  consequence  of  the  approaching  Atlanta  campaign, 
and  the  brave  commander  turned  from  the  flowery 
pathway  of  love,  and  heroically  took  up  his  march  to 
the  sea,  amid  the  besetting  dangers  of  an  enemy's 
country. 

After  the  repulse  of  Hood  by  Thomas,  near  Peach 
Tree  Creek,  that  Confederate  general  reorganized  his 
shattered  ranks  and  hurled  them  with  terrible  fury  on 
McPherson,  who  was  approaching  Atlanta  from  the 
direction  of  Decatur.     The  onset  of  the  enemy  was 


342       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

desperate,  aod  at  times  it  seemed  as  if  they  would  suc- 
ceed iu  breaking  McPherson's  lines.     There  came,  at 
length,  a  lull  in  battle,  and  the  general  availed  him- 
self of  this  opportunity  to  close  a  gap  between  the 
Sixteenth  and  Seventeenth  Corps— anticipating  an  at- 
tack at  that  point.     A  strip  of  forest,  with  a  road  run- 
ning through  it,  constituted  the  space  which  McPherson 
ordered  closed  up  at  once  with  a  brigade.     To  give  the 
needed  direction  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  cross  this 
wooded  strip.     He  halted  a  moment  before  entering  the 
road,  and  then,  with  but  one  orderly,  dashed  boldly 
forward.     But  his  hour  of  fate  had  come.     All  unseen, 
death  and  the  foe  lurked  within  the  shadowy  forest. 
The  skirmish  line  of  the  enemy  had  taken  possession 
of  this  road,  and  before  he  was  fully  aware  of  his  posi- 
tion, the  foe  surrounded  him.     He  reined  his  black 
charger  back  suddenly,  for  one  surprised  instant,  lifted 
his  cap  in  salute,  and  then  with  a  bound  cleared  the 
road.     In  vain  !     The  volley  that  blazed  after  him  had 
fatal  aim,  and  he  fell  from  his  saddle,  never  again  to 
rise.     The  well-known  black  horse,  emerging  from  the 
woods,  wounded  and  riderless,  told  the  sad  story  to 
his    devoted    soldiers   who   now   came    up.     Private 
George  Reynolds,  though  wounded  severely  through 
the  left  arm,  was  among  the  sorrowful  group  which 
searched    for  the  body  of  their  beloved  General  and 
conveyed  it  to  Sherman's  head-quarters. 

Grant's  exclamation  on  hearing  the  sad  news,  "  The 
country  has  lost  one  of  its  best  soldiers,  and  I  have 
lost  my  best  friend!"  emphasized  by  his  tears,  gave 
evidence  of  a  rare  regard. 

Among  his  soldiers  there  was  universal  grief,  and 
"McPherson    and    revenge!"    became    their   war-cry 


JA3IES  BIRDSEYE  McPHERSOK  345 

during  the  continuation  of  that  bloody  battle.  Every- 
where lamented,  the  nation  mourned  his  loss  as  of  a 
son  ;  but  the  blow  fell  with  withering  stroke  on  the 
heart  of  his  affianced  bride — widowed  ere  yet  a  wife. 
A  guard  accompanied  his  remains  to  Sandusky  County, 
Ohio,  where  they  "were  conducted  to  the  very  parlor," 
wrote  his  grandmother,  "in  which  he  spent  a  cheerful 
evening  in  1861,  with  his  widowed  mother,  two 
brothers,  and  an  only  sister  and  his  aged  grandmother, 
who  is  now  trying  to  write.  His  funeral  services  were 
attended  in  his  mother's  orchard,  where  his  youthful 
feet  had  often  pressed  the  soil  to  gather  the  falling 
fruit,  and  his  remains  are  resting  in  the  silent  grave, 
scarce  half  a  mile  from  the  place  of  his  birth.'^ 
In  his  reply  to  this  letter,  Grant  says  : 

"  Mrs.  Lydia  Slocum  : 

''My  Dear  Madam:— Your  very  welcome  letter  of  the  third  in- 
stant has  reached  me.     I  am  glad  to  know  that  the  relatives  of  the 
lamented  Major-General  McPherson  are  aware  of  the  more  than 
friendship  existing  between  him  and  myself.     A  nation  grieves  at 
the  loss  of  on    so  dear  to  our  nation's  cause.     It  is  a  selfish  grief, 
because  the  nation  had  more  to  expect  from  him  than  from  almost 
any  one  living.     I  join  in  this  selfish   grief,  and  add  the  grief  of 
personal  love  for  the  departed.     He  formed,  for  some  time,  one  of 
my  military  family.     I  knew  him  well :  to  know  him  was  'to  love 
It  may  be  some  consolation  to  you,  his  aged  grandmother,  to  know 
that  every  officer  and  every  soldier  who  served  under  vour  grand- 
son felt  the  highest  reverence  for  his  patriotism,  his  zeal,  his  cryeat 
almost  unequalled  ability,  his  amiability,  and  all  the  manlv  vfrtues 
that  can  adorn  a  commander.     Your  bereavement  is  great,'but  can- 
not exceed  mine." 

McPherson  distinguished  himself,  in  addition  toother 
services,  at  Resaca,  DMlas,  Allatoona,  Ivulp  House  and 
Kenesaw.  He  always  reconnoitred  in  person,  and  his 
bravery  was  of  that  extreme  type  which  verged  on 


346        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

recklessness.  He  was  of  superb  physique,  and  held 
that  personal  sway  over  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his 
soldiers  which  only  needed  his  presence  to  awaken 
their  enthusiasm.  His  lofty  courage,  tireless  energy, 
sublime  patriotism  and  stainless  private  record  shine 
like  jewels  in  the  crown  of  his  fame,  and  by  the 
strength  of  this  light  many  a  youth  will  be  incited  to 
nobler  endeavor  and  more  courageous  soldiership  in 
the  long  battle  of  life. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 
W^IN FIELD    SCOTT   HANCOCK, 

The  Brilliant  Charge  at  Williamsburg.— Popular  Favor.— Birth 
and  Early  Training.— In  the  Mexican  War.— The  Florida  Cam- 
paign.—Ordered  to  Washington.— At  Antietam.— Fredericksburg 
and  Chancellorsville.  —  His  Stand  at  Gettysburg.  —  Cemetery- 
Hill.- Wounded.— In  the  Last  Grant  Campaign.— Battle  at  Ely's 
Ford.— Assault  of  May  Twelfth.— Capture  of  Stuart.—"  I  Decline 
to  Take  Your  Hand."— In  Charge  of  the  Veteran  First  Corps. — 
In  the  Shenandoah  Valley. — Characteristics. 

THE  brilliant  charge  of  Hancock^s  brigade  at  the 
battle  of  Williamsburg,  first  brought  the  name 
of  this  eminent  soldier  prominently  before  the  country. 
It  was  such  a  charge  as  had  not  been  previously  made 
during  the  war,  and  the  mode  in  which  it  was  conducted 
reflected  great  credit  on  the  skill  of  its  commanding 
officer.  Hancock  and  his  "immortal  brigade"  in  that 
action  were  on  the  left  of  the  enemy's  line.  When  he 
saw  that  by  taking  a  certain  position  his  guns  could 
command  the  Confederate  rear,  he  sent  for  reinforce- 
ments. But,  on  account  of  a  fear  of  weakening  the 
centre,  they  were  denied  him.  He  therefore  met  an 
overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy  alone,  and  fought  a 
desperate  battle.  As  he  slowly  fell  back,  with  unbroken 
front,  the  Confederates  mistook  the  movement  for  a 
retreat  and  rushed  on  with  shouts  and  cheers,  in  an 
endeavor  to  break  his  lines.  Hancock's  eagle  eye  was 
watching  every  movement,  and  when  they  had  reached 
a  point  within  forty  yards  of  him,  near  the  top  of  the 

(347) 


348       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

rising  ground  over  which  he  was  advancing,  he  halted 
his  brigade,  gave  the  order  to  "fire!^'  and  poured  a 
withering  musketry  blaze  into  their  ranks.  Then  the 
whole  brigade  swept  down  the  slope  in  a  grand  charge 
which  put  the  enemy  to  rout  and  completely  turned 
their  position. 

This  splendid  piece  of  skill  immediately  lifted  Han- 
cock into  national  popularity,  and  his  name  has  ever 
since  been  a  synonym  of  valor  and  success. 

He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  having  been  born 
in  Montgomery  County,  on  February  fourteenth,  1824. 
He  graduated  at  West  Point  when  only  twenty  years 
old,  and  was  sent  to  the  Indian  Territory  as  second 
lieutenant  in  the  Sixth  Infantry.  He  rendered  distin- 
guished services  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  received  the 
brevet  of  first  lieutenant  for  brave  conduct  at  Churu- 
busco.  He  was  afterwards  stationed  in  Missouri,  and 
during  the  Florida  war  served  as  captain  in  the  quar- 
ter-master's department.  He  joined  the  Utah  expedi- 
tion under  General  Harney,  and  when  the  last  war 
broke  out,  was  stationed  at  Los  Angeles,  California. 
The  War  Department  ordered  him  to  report  at  Wash- 
ington, and  in  September,  1861,  he  was  made  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers. 

After  Williamsburg,  he  figured  conspicuously  at 
Gaines'  Mill,  and  "fought  side  by  side  with  Sedgwick" 
at  Glendale,  Malvern  Hill,  Fair  Oaks  and  Savage 
Station. 

He  was  in  the  campaign  under  Pope,  and  the  subse- 
quent one  under  McClellan.  At  Antietam,  he  rode  in 
the  front  of  battle,  the  very  incarnation  of  bravery, 
the  embodiment  of  noble  valor.  The  command  of 
Kichardson's  division  devolved  on  him,  and  the  mar- 


WINFIELD  SCOTT  HANCOCK.  349 

velloiis  skill  with  which  he  handled  his  troops,  exposed 
to  a  trying  enfilading  fire,  stamped  him  a  general  of 
great  qualities. 

He  was  with  Burnside  when  the  heights  of  Freder- 
icksburg were  stormed,  and  like  a  true  soldier,  obeying 
orders  unquestioned  though  he  knew  the  madness  of 
the  attempt,  bore  his  part  in  the  useless  and  bloody 
slaughter.  He  also  shared  in  the  Chancellorsville  dis- 
aster, and  when  Meade  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  Hancock  had  charge  of  the 
Second  Corps. 

At  Gettysburg,  he  is  given  the  credit  of  having 
chosen  the  almost  impregnable  position  of  the  Union 
troops,  which  certainly  entered  largely  into  the  deciding 
issues  of  that  battle.  After  the  death  of  Eeynolds, 
General  Meade  sent  Hancock  to  ''represent  him  on  the 
field''— surely  no  doubtful  praise.  During  the  first 
day  of  the  momentous  conflict,  he  commanded  the  left 
centre  on  Cemetery  Hill,  firmly  holding  his  position, 
besides  sending  relief  to  the  Third  Corps. 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second 
day,  a  terrific  cannonade  was  opened  upon  him  which 
continued,  without  interruption,  for  two  hours  and 
more.  At  mid-afternoon  a  desperate  charge  was  made 
by  the  enemy  on  Hancock's  position.  They  came  for- 
ward ^^"  forty-five  thousand  strong  and  three  columns 
deep."  It  was  a  tremendous  shock,  and  superhuman 
efforts  were  required  to  break  the  devouring  human 
wave  which  threatened  their  extinction.  Hancock 
opened  a  heavy  artillery  fire,  and  then,  as  the  enemy 
came  up,  swept  them  with  his  musketry.  He  rode 
along  his  lines,  amid  the  sheeted  flame,  inspiring  the 
troops  to  heroic  attempts.     And  not  in  vain.     When, 


350  HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

at  last,  the  enemy's  advance  had  been  repulsed  and  the 
splendid  victory  gained,  Hancock  was  carried  Ueeding 
from  the  field,  with  a  bullet-wound  in  his  thigh.  Tiiis 
hurt  disabled  him  for  a  long  time.  But  he  had  proven 
himself  a  hero  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term,  and  from 
all  quarters  praises  and  admiration  were  lavished  upon 
him. 

In  Grant's  last  campaign  he  had  the  left  wing  of  the 
army,  and  at  Ely's  Ford,  on  the  Rapidan,  made  a  glo- 
rious fight.  He  crossed  the  Po  River  near  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court  House,  and  after  taking  forcible  possession 
of  the  Block  House  Road,  worked  on  through  the 
night  with  pick  and  spade  to  complete  two  lines  of 
breastworks  for  its  defence.  "The  lanterns  of  the 
workmen  hanging  to  the  blossoming  cherry  trees  and 
picturesque  groups  of  soldiers  digging  and  erecting  the 
works,  while  batteries  stood  harnessed  up,  their  can- 
noniers  lying  on  the  ground  around  the  carriages  in 
wait  for  any  emergency,"  added  a  dash  of  pleasant 
picturing  to  the  dark  front  of  war. 

On  May  twelfth,  Hancock  made  a  desperate  assault 
on  the  intrenchments  of  the  enemy  on  the  southern 
bank  of  Po  River.  The  battle  lasted  for  fourteen 
hours,  and  the  place  became  '^  a  perfect  Golgotha."  He 
captured  "  an  entire  division,  four  thousand  strong,  and 
thirty  guns." 

Stuart  was  one  of  the  Confederate  generals  taken 
prisoner,  and  in  the  spirit  of  kindness  which  belongs 
to  true  chivalry,  Hancock  offered  him  his  hand. 
Stuart  drew  himself  up  with  hauteur,  as  he  said,  "I 
am  General  Stuart  of  the  Confederate  army,  and  under 
present  circumstances  I  decline  to  take  your  hand!" 
Hancock's  reply  is  worthy  of  record  :  "And  under  any 
other  circumstances,  General,  I  should  have  declined  it ! " 


WINFIELD   SCOTT  HANCOCK.  S61 

In  the  subsequent  operations  of  the  army,  Hancock 
played  a  conspicuous  part,  and  at  Petersburg,  in  con- 
junction with  Baldy  Smith,  ^'  he  carried  the  outer 
works.'^  At  Hatcher's  Kun,  the  Second  Corps  was 
saved  from  more  than  a  partial  reverse  by  the  skill  of 
its  commander. 

It  now  became  apparent  that  Hancock  must  retire 
from  active  fighting  on  account  of  his  old  wound 
which  had  not  entirely  healed  when  he  took  the  field 
in  the  Grant  campaign.  He  was  consequently  relieved 
from  the  command  of  the  Second  Corps  at  his  own  re- 
quest, being  afterwards  placed  in  charge  of  the  Veteran 
First  Corps,  with  head-quarters  at  AYashington.  He 
established  recruiting-stations,  and  soldiers  flocked 
around  his  standard.  After  Sheridan  had  made  his 
raid  to  the  James  River  and  joined  Grant,  Hancock  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  "where 
he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.''  He  was  after- 
wards appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  Middle  Depart- 
ment of  the  Military  Division  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  people  of  New  York  testified  their  love  for  him 
by  presenting  him  with  an  elegant  barouche,  just  pre- 
vious to  his  last  campaign,  to  ride  at  the  head  of  his 
corps ;  but  he  preferred  an  army  ambulance. 

Hancock  always  displayed  the  characteristics  of  a 
true  and  chivalrous  manhood.  Gracious  to  a  conquered 
enemy,  generous  in  all  his  instincts,  incapable  of  petti- 
ness, never  revengeful,  splendid  in  military  qualities, 
he  was  such  a  general  as  would  fitly  adorn  the  annals 
of  any  age,  however  glorious.  The  student  of  human 
nature  takes  courage  in  contemplating  such  a  character, 
and  believes  afresh  in  the  possibility  of  the  loftiest 
types  of  manhood. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
JOHN    CHARLES    FREMONT. 

The  Hundred  Days  in  Missouri. — Birth  and  Early  Life, — On  Board 
the  "Natchez." — Beginning  to  be  an  Explorer. — Marriage  with 
Jessie  Benton. — Westward  Ho ! — Discoveries. — Conquest  of  Cali- 
fornia.— Across  the  Continent. — Senator  from  California. — In 
Command  of  the  Western  Department. — Causes  of  Eemoval. — 
Presidential  Candidate. — An  Extraordinary  Kide. — What  He 
Achieved. 

IT  is  impossible  to  base  any  just  estimate  of  Fre- 
mont's generalship  on  the  one  hundred  days  of 
his  war  career  during  the  last  civil  conflict.  He  had 
but  just  begun  his  campaigning  when  Hunter  super- 
seded him  in  command,  and  the  advantages  gained  by 
Fremont  were  allowed  to  slip  back  without  further 
result.  But  as  having  compassed  heroic  achievement 
in  the  field  of  exploration  and  being  closely  identified 
with  the  political  and  war  history  of  the  Union,  he  is 
entitled  to  the  vantage  ground  of  prominence. 

Fremont  was  born  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  January 
twenty-first,  1813.  He  is  of  French  ancestry,  having 
descended  from  one  of  the  same  name  who  came  to  the 
United  States  at  the  time  of  the  French  Revolution. 
His  mother  was  Anne  Beverly,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Thomas  Whiting,  of  Virginia — reputed  to  be  at  that 
time  one  of  the  most  beautiful  women  in  the  State. 

For  several  years  the  parents  of  Fremont  travelled 
with  their  own  carriage  and  servants,  in  the  Southern 
States,  and  it  was  during  one  of  their  temporary  halts 
(352) 


JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT.  353 

that  John  Charles  was  born.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion in  South  Carolina,  and  became  proficient  in  mathe- 
matics and  engineering — his  genius  for  these  studies 
being  very  pronounced. 

In  1833,  when  the  sloop-of-war  "Natchez"  entered 
Charleston  Harbor  to  enforce  General  Jackson's  procla- 
mation against  Nullification,  Fremont  obtained  through 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  the  appointment  of  teacher 
of  mathematics  on  board  that  vessel,  and  made  a  cruise 
of  between  two  and  three  years,  first  going  to  South 
America.  He  was  afterwards  appointed  Professor  of 
Mathematics  on  board  the  frigate  "Independence." 

Subsequently,  he  was  made  assistant  engineer  and 
sent  to  explore  the  mountain  pass  between  South  Caro- 
lina and  Tennessee.  He  then  went  with  Captain 
Williams  on  a  military  survey  of  Georgia,  North  Caro- 
lina and  Tennessee,  and  from  thence  to  the  Upper 
Mississippi  under  command  of  the  Frenchman,  J.  N. 
Nicollet.  The  years  of  1838  and  1839  were  occupied 
with  exploring  the  region  lying  between  the  British 
line  and  the  Missouri  and  northern  rivers.  About  this 
time  he  became  acquainted  with  the  family  of  Mr. 
Benton,  senator  from  Missouri,  and  a  strong  attach- 
ment was  formed  between  Jessie,  the  second  daughter, 
then  fifteen  years  old,  and  the  young  explorer.  In  the 
summer  of  1841,  he  was  ordered  to  make  an  examina- 
tion of  the  Des  Moines  River — Iowa  at  that  time  being 
a  frontier  region.  After  finishing  the  duty  he  returned 
to  Washington,  and  on  October  nineteenth,  consum- 
mated his  marriage  Avith  Jessie  Benton. 

In  1842,  he  made  a  tour  of  exploration  to  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region  and  penetrated  the  South  Pass.  Fol- 
lowing this,  he  planned  another  expedition  to  Oregon 


354  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

and  went  by  a  new  route— joining  the  Wilkes  Explora- 
tion party.  Subsequently,  he  became  guide  to  a  third 
expedition  westward,  during  which  he  discovered  the 
Fremont  Basin,  the  Sierra  Nevada,  the  San  Joaquin 
and  Sacramento  Valleys,  and  determined  much  of  the 
geography  of  that  country.  In  1845,  Fremont  was 
again  on  the  trail  towards  the  Pacific  Slope,  and  the 
work  he  then  performed  gave  California  to  the  United 
States.  In  the  conquest  of  Upper  California  he  bore 
a  conspicuous  part,  but  owing  to  a  quarrel  with  some 
officers,  he  was  deprived  of  his  command.  He  de- 
clined the  President's  ofiPer — which  was  afterwards 
made — to  reinstate  him. 

His  next  work  was  the  survey  of  a  route  from  the 
Mississippi  to  San  Francisco,  during  which  he  pene- 
trated to  the  Apache  country.  In  one  hundred  days 
after  leaving  Santa  Fe,  this  bold  land  navigator  of 
trackless  wilds  stood  by  the  waters  of  the  Sacramento. 

In  1849-51,  Fremont  was  sent  as  one  of  the  first 
United  States  Senators  from  California,  and  in  1856 
was  the  first  Republican  candidate  for  President — 
running  in  opposition  to  Buchanan.  It  was  a  very 
close  contest,  and  Fremont  might  be  said  to  have  been 
as  much  the  choice  of  the  people  as  the  elected  candidate. 

In  1846,  Fremont  had  commanded  a  battalion  in  the 
Mexican  war,  and  when  the  last  war  broke  out,  although 
he  was  in  Paris  at  the  time,  he  immediately  purchased 
a  large  quantity  of  arms  for  government,  and  in  June 
landed  on  his  native  shores.  In  July  he  received  the 
commission  of  major-general,  and  took  command  of  the 
Western  Department  a  short  time  previous  to  the  bat- 
tle of  Wilson's  Creek. 

After  the  death  of  Lyon,  the  weight  of  responsibility 
as  well  as  of  active  duty  in  the  field,  rested  on  Fremont. 


JOHN  CHARLES  FREMONT.  355 

A  proclamation  which  he  issued  about  this  time  cre- 
ated some  excitement.  He  declared  Missouri  under 
martial  law,  and  ordered  every  one  found  with  arms  to 
be  tried  by  court-martial.  This  step  was  certainly 
justified  by  the  exigencies  of  the  times. 

Fremont  arrived  in  Springfield  on  the  twenty-sev- 
enth of  October,  and  the  succeeding  hundred  days  em- 
braced his  last  military  record.  Just  after  the  Lex- 
ington affair,  when  he  was  about  to  put  in  operation 
some  well-laid  plans,  orders  for  his  removal  arrived 
and  he  was  superseded  by  Hunter,  who  let  slip  the 
sheaves  of  victorious  work  harvested  by  his  predecessor. 
Fremont  was  afterwards  exonerated  from  all  blame  for 
not  keeping  Price  out  of  Lexington.  It  was  shown 
that  as  soon  as  he  fitted  his  men  for  the  field,  they  were 
ordered  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  "Five  thou- 
sand men  ready  to  support  Mulligan  in  his  defence  of 
Lexington  were,  at  the  very  moment  of  their  depar- 
ture, counter-ordered  to  the  East."  Fremont's  removal 
from  command  just  at  that  crisis  was  afterwards  con- 
ceded to  have  been  a  great  military  blunder.  It  broke 
up  his  famous  "Body  Guard,"  under  command  of 
Major  Zagonyi — an  organization  whose  personal  at- 
tachment to  their  leader  was  so  strong,  that  when  he 
was  suspended  and  after  their  brilliant  and  wonderful 
charge  into  Springfield  through  the  enemy's  lines,  they 
resolved  they  would  not  come  together  again  until  they 
could  fight  under  their  old  commander. 

Notwithstanding  the  Lexington  defeat  and  Fre- 
mont's consequent  removal,  he  had  set  in  motion  a 
current  of  enthusiasm  in  the  west  which  would  not 
subside.  In  1864  his  name  was  again  placed  in  nomi- 
nation for  the  presidency,  but  he  withdrew  from  the 
contest. 


356       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Since  the  war  he  has  been  associated  with  a  trans- 
continental railroad. 

Fremont's  fourth  expedition  in  1848  was  under- 
taken at  his  own  expense,  in  quest  of  a  home  in  the 
"  new  State  which  he  had  emancipated/'  It  was  during 
the  month  of  March  in  the  previous  year  that  he  made 
his  extraordinary  ride  of  nine  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
in  seven  days,  through  a  rough  and  dangerous  country, 
from  Los  Angeles  to  Monterey  and  back.  He  under- 
took this  desperate  mission  to  carry  the  news  to  General 
Kearney  of  an  impending  insurrection  in  Lower  Cali- 
fornia. 

The  name  of  Fremont  is  imperishably  written  in 
the  ^*  historical,  geographical,  scientific  and  political 
history"  of  this  country.  What  greater  fame  need  any 
ambition  crave?  That  he  "  missed  world's  honors  and 
world's  plaudits"  when  his  voice  was  ever  quick  with 
its  "Oh,  list!"  when  the  angel  of  duty  spake,  is  far 
better  than  to  have  won  those  honors  at  the  sacrifice 
of  an  untarnished  conscience.  Though  he  missed  the 
presidential  chair,  his  name  crowns  the  loftiest  peak 
of  the  longest  chain  of  mountains  in  North  America, 
as  its  first  explorer.  He  is  canonized  as  the  savior  of 
California  from  Mexican  misrule,  and  as  a  geographer 
his  fine  genius  received  recognition  from  Humboldt 
and  the  scientific  world  at  large.  The  court-martial 
which  he  underwent  in  1848,  was  so  palpably  the  re- 
sult of  rivalry  between  Commodore  Stockton  and  Gen- 
eral Kearney,  that  the  testimony,  only  served  to  reveal 
Fremont  in  a  higher  light  than  ever,  as  the  fearless 
server  of  duty  in  preference  to  any  lesser  bidding. 
The  verdict  given  was  one  of  pure  technique.  It  did 
not  pluck  one  laurel  from  his  well-earned  chaplet,  nor 
Uke  from  him  the  loving  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
OLIVKR   OTIS    HOWARD. 

The  Christian  Soldier.— Early  Life.— Off  to  the  Wars.— Bravery  in 
Battle.— Loss  of  an  Arm.— Antietam.— Fredericksburg.— Chan- 
cellorsville.— Gettysburg.— The  Atlanta  Campaign.— Chief  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee.— Convaleseence.—His  Religious  Con- 
victions.—Story  of  a  Wagon-Master.- In  Charge  of  the  Freed- 
man's  Bureau. — Sherman's  Letter. 

OLIVER  OTIS  HOWARD— distinguished  as  the 
"Christian  Soldier *' — was  born  on  Xovember 
eighth,  1830,  in  Leeds,  Maine.  When  he  was  ten  years 
old  his  father  died,  and  he  was  taken  in  charge  by  an 
uncle  who  sent  him  to  Bowdoin  College.  After  grad- 
uating at  that  school  he  went  to  West  Point,  and  com- 
pleted the  military  course  in  1854. 

In  1856,  he  acted  as  chief-of-ord nance  officer  in  the 
Florida  campaign.  The  opening  of  the  last  war  found 
him  installed  as  professor  of  mathematics  at  West 
Point.  In  May,  1861,  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Third  Maine  Volunteers,  by  the  governor  of  that  State. 
On  the  field  of  Bull  Run  he  led  a  brigade  into  the  thick 
battle  action  with  so  much  bravery  and  good  general- 
ship, that,  in  September,  he  was  promoted  to  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers.  In  December,  he  occupied  a 
place  in  General  Sumner's  command.  In  September, 
1863,  in  charge  of  the  Eleventh  Army  Corps,  he  went 
with  Slocum  to  reinforce  the  army  at  Chattanooga. 

At  Fair  Oaks,  he  lost  his  right  arm,  and  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Antietam,  Fredericksburg  and  Chancel lorsville 

(357) 


358  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

his  gallant  conduct  and  well-directed  fighting  won 
golden  opinions. 

In  the  Gettysburg  conflict,  his  position  was  on  Cem- 
etery Hill — the  key  to  the  battle-field.  Here  he  dis- 
played such  coolness  under  fire  and  exposed  himself  to 
the  hurtling  shot  and  shell  so  freely,  that  it  might  be 
taken  for  rashness  if  one  did  not  know  it  sprang  from 
the  highest  kind  of  bravery. 

During  the  Atlanta  campaign,  Howard  commanded 
the  Fourth  Army  Corps,  and  succeeded  to  McPherson^s 
position  as  commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 
after  that  heroic  general's  death.  In  the  "  great  march  " 
from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  he  held  the  right  wing ;  and 
Sherman's  confidence  in  him  was  absolute. 

After  the  loss  of  his  arm,  he  went  back  to  his  native 
State,  and,  during  convalescence,  the  pale  and  wounded 
soldier  became  a  recruiting  officer  and  addressed  crowds 
of  his  fellow-citizens  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  ap- 
pealing to  their  patriotism  in  sustaining  the  war  power 
at  Washington.  As  a  result  of  these  efforts,  recruits 
by  the  hundred  responded  to  his  earnest  appeals. 
"Modesty,  sincerity  and  earnestness  characterized  his 
addresses,"  and  gave  evidence  of  his  strong  devotion  to 
duty. 

Howard's  religious  convictions  were  well  known  and 
universally  respected  by  brother  officers  from  highest 
to  lowest ;  and  whoever  shared  his  mess,  or  partook  of 
the  hospitality  of  his  table,  always  waited  for  a  blessing 
to  be  invoked.  General  Grant  said  of  him  :  "In  Gen- 
eral Howard  throughout,  I  found  a  polished  and  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  exhibiting  the  highest  and  most  chiv- 
alrous traits  of  the  soldier." 

The  kind  way  in  which  he  administered  rebuke  is 


OLIVER  OTIS  HOWARD.  359 

well  illustrated  in  the  following  story :  "On  one  occa- 
sion, a  wagon-master,  whose  teams  were  floundering 
through  the  bottomless  mud  of  a  Georgia  swamp,  be- 
came exasperated  at  the  unavoidable  delay,  and  indulged 
in  such  a  torrent  of  profanity  as  can  only  be  heard  in 
the  army  or  among  men  of  his  class.  General  Howard 
quietly  approached,  unperceived  by  the  offender,  and 
was  an  unwilling  listener  to  the  blasphemous  words. 
The  wagon-master,  on  turning  around,  saw  his  general 
in  close  proximity  and  made  haste  to  apologize  for  his 
profane  outburst  by  saying,  *  Excuse  me.  General,  I  did 
not  know  you  were  here.'  The  General,  looking  a 
reprimand,  replied,  'I  would  prefer  that  you  abstain 
from  swearing  from  a  higher  and  better  motive  than 
because  of  my  presence.' '' 

After  the  war,  in  1865,  General  Howard  was  placed 
at  the  head  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau — a  position 
which  abounded  in  difficulties,  but  which  he  filled  most 
acceptably.  There  was  not,  probably,  another  man  in 
the  entire  country  whose  nature  and  noble  purposes  and 
aims  were  so  much  in  harmony  with  the  peculiar  and 
benevolent  work  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau  as  How- 
ard's. On  his  acceptance  of  this  new  post  of  honor. 
General  Sherman  wrote  him  as  follows:  "I  hardly 
know  whether  to  congratulate  you  or  not,  but  of  one 
thing  you  may  rest  assured,  that  you  possess  my  entire 
confidence,  and  I  cannot  imagine  that  matters  that  may 
involve  the  future  of  four  millions  of  souls  could  be 
put  in  more  charitable  and  more  conscientious  hands. 
So  far  as  man  can  do,  I  believe  you  will,  but  I  fear  you 
have  a  Herculean  task;  .  .  .  though  in  the  kindness 
of  your  heart  you  would  alleviate  all  the  ills  of  hu- 
manity, it  is  not  in  your  power.  ...  Yet  you  can  and 


360       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

will  do  all  the  good  one  man  may,  and  that  is  all  you 
are  called  on  as  a  man  and  a  Christian  to  do;  and  to 
that  extent  count  on  me  as  a  friend  and  fellow-soldier 
for  counsel  and  assistance." 

The  traits  of  General  Howard's  character  always 
shone  conspicuous  in  the  loftiest  range  of  human  mo- 
tive. As  a  general,  he  was  not  great,  like  Grant,  nor 
brilliant,  like  Sherman.  But,  without  being  a  colossus 
in  military  genius,  he  performed  his  duty  as  a  soldier 
and  citizen  faithfully,  won  golden  approval  from  Presi- 
dent, press  and  people,  and  deserves  an  especial  niche 
in  the  temple  of  Memory  as  one  who  endeavored  to 
soften  the  rigors  of  war  with  the  balm  of  a  gentle 
nature  and  the  outstretched  hand  of  humanitarian 
kindness. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
DAVID    GLASCOE    FARRAGUT. 

The  Power  of  the  Navy. — Early  Years  of  Farragut. — Eemarkable 
Instance  of  Boyish  Bravery. — Forty-eight  Years  of  Quiet  Life. — 
Union  Sentiments. —  Extract  from  Private  Letter. —  Castilian 
Ancestry. — Naval  Combats  on  the  Mississippi. — Capture  of  New 
Orleans. — The  Bay  Fight  at  Mobile. — Lashed  to  the  Mast  in  the 
"Hartford."— Oflacial  Tour  of  European  Ports.— Personal  Habits 
of  Farragut. 

DURING  our  last  war,  the  United  States  Navy 
became  a  powerful  instrumentality  in  upholding 
the  glory  and  unity  of  the  Republic.  It  maintained 
the  most  difficult  and  stupendous  blockade  known  to 
history.  Six  hundred  ships  garrisoned  the  coast  of  the 
United  States,  and  fifty-one  thousand  soldiers  of  the  sea 
garrisoned  the  ships.  This  fleet  on  the  sea,  dazzled, 
with  its  splendor  of  action,  nations  afar  off  and  com- 
pelled not  only  the  admiration,  but  the  respect  of  Old- 
AYorld  principalities  and  powers.  In  the  midst  of  that 
invincible  New-World  armada  we  can  see,  even  yet, 
the  stalwart  figure  of  Admiral  Farragut,  shining  in 
bold  prominence,  as  King  of  the  Fleet,  by  the  divine 
legacy  of  genius. 

This  remarkable  soldier  was  born  in  1801,  at  Camp- 
bell's Station,  in  East  Tennessee.  His  first  baptism  of 
warfare  was  received  when  only  nine  years  old,  on 
board  Commodore  Porter's  ship,  the  "Essex,^'  in  its 
combat  with  the  English  sloop-of-war  ^'Alert,"  April 
thirteenth,  1812.  It  took  just  eight  minutes  for  the 
22  (361) 


362        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

"Alert"  to  strike  her  colors,  with  seven  feet  of  water 
in  her  hold.  Porter  was  a  friend  of  Farragut's  father 
and  had  given  the  boy  a  midshipman's  berth.  The 
brave  lad  was  wounded  in  this  first,  brief  but  bloody 
battle,  and  bore  himself  so  nobly,  that  in  Porter's  re- 
port he  was  honorably  mentioned,  with  the  added 
regret  that  he  was  "too  young  for  promotion.'' 

After  1812,  Farragut  received  a  general  education, 
added  to  some  instructions  in  military  tactics,  and  then, 
in  obedience  to  a  pronounced  inclination,  followed  the  . 
sea.  For  forty-eight  years  his  record  ran  from  lieu- 
tenant in  1825,  to  commander  in  1841,  and  captain  in 
1851.  He  had  voyaged  up  and  down  the  world,  in 
quiet  seas,  hither  and  thither,  unknown  to  fortune  and 
to  fame.  But  the  last  civil  war  gave  him  the  key  to 
both — golden  opportunity. 

On  account  of  Farragut's  southern  nativity  and 
southern  family  ties,  it  w^as  supposed  he  would  go  with 
the  seceding  South.  His  residence  was  at  Norfolk,  and 
when  he  boldly  avowed  his  Union  sentiments,  it  was 
intimated  that  a  further  residence  among  the  people 
there  might  not  be  pleasant.  "Very  well,"  he  replied, 
"I  will  go  where  I  can  live,  wdth  such  sentiments." 

He  moved  to  Tarrytown,  on  the  Hudson  River,  and 
received  his  first  appointment  as  commander  of  the 
naval  expedition  to  New  Orleans,  January  twentieth, 
1862.  On  February  third  he  set  out  from  Hampton 
Roads,  in  the  flag-ship  "Hartford." 

...  In  a  private  letter  from  Farragut,  written  in 
response  to  an  inquiry  as  to  his  ancestry  by  one  who 
had  discovered  that  the  French  Charlemagne's  physi- 
cian bore  the  name  Farraguth,  the  Admiral  said  : 

"  My  own  name  is  probably  Castilian.     My  grand- 


DAVID   GLASCOE  FAERAGUT.  363 

father  came  from  Ciiidadela,  in  the  island  of  Minorca. 
I  know  nothing  of  the  history  of  my  family  before 
they  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Florida.  You 
may  remember  that  in  the  seventeenth  century,  a  colony 
settled  there,  and  among  them,  I  believe,  was  my 
grandfather.  My  father  served  through  the  war  of 
Independence,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  the  Cow- 
pens.  Judge  Anderson,  formerly  Comptroller  of  the 
Treasury,  has  frequently  told  me  that  my  father  re- 
ceived his  majority  from  George  Washington  on  the 
same  day  with  himself;  and  his  children  have  always 
supposed  that  this  promotion  was  for  his  good  conduct 
in  that  fight.  Notwithstanding  this  statement  .  .  . 
I  have  never  been  able  to  find  my  father's  name  in  any 
list  of  the  officers  of  the  Revolution. 

"With  two  men,  Ogden  and  McKee,  he  was  after- 
wards one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Tennessee.  Mr. 
McKee  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  Alabama,  and 
once  stopped  in  Norfolk,  where  I  was  then  residing,  on 
purpose,  as  he  said,  to  see  me,  as  the  son  of  his  early 
friend.  He  said  he  had  heard  that  I  was  ^a  chip  of 
the  old  block' — what  sort  of  a  block  it  was  I  know 
not.  This  was  thirty  years  ago.  My  father  settled 
twelve  miles  from  Knoxville,  at  a  place  called  Camp- 
bell's Station,  on  the  river  where  BLirnside  had  his 
fio-ht.  Thence  we  moved  to  the  South,  about  the  time 
of  the  Wilkinson  and  Blennerhassett  trouble.  My 
father  was  then  appointed  a  master  in  the  navy,  and 
sent  to  New  Orleans  in  command  of  one  of  the  gun- 
boats. Hence  the  impression  that  I  am  a  native  of 
New  Orleans.  But  all  my  father's  children  were  born 
in  Tennessee,  and  as  I  have  said  in  answer  to  inquiries 
on  this  subject,  we  only  moved  South  to  crush  out  a 
couple  of  rebellions. 


364        HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

^'My  mother  died  of  yellow  fever  the  first  summer 
in  New  Orleans,  and  my  father  settled  at  Pascagoula, 
in  Mississippi.  He  continued  to  serve  throughout  the 
'last  war/  and  was  at  the  battle  of  New  Orleans,  under 
Commodore  Patterson,  though  very  infirm  at  that  time. 
He  died  the  following  year,  and  my  brothers  and  sisters 
married  in  and  about  New  Orleans,  where  their  descend- 
ants still  remain. 

"As  to  the  name,  General  Goicouria,  a  Spanish 
hidalgo  from  Cuba,  tells  me  it  is  Castilian,  and  is 
spelled  in  the  same  way  as  the  old  physician's — Far- 
raguth.'' 

The  wonderful  series  of  movements  and  naval  com- 
bats on  the  Mississippi,  in  which  the  gauntlet  of  miles 
of  forts  was  run,  resulting  in  the  capture  of  New  Or- 
leans and  the  opening  of  the  river,  is  a  feat  unparal- 
leled in  history.  Genius,  generalship,  patience  —  a 
hundred  rare  qualifications  were  needed  to  bring 
such  an  attempt  to  successful  fruition.  Wise  forecast, 
quickness  of  inventive  faculty  to  meet  sudden  crises, 
untiring  labor,  and  the  highest  kind  of  courage  were 
required  ;  but  Farragut  showed  himself  royal  in  the 
possession  of  all  kingly  qualities  of  resource  and  com- 
mand. 

'^Tlie  'Bay  Fight'  at  Mobile,  and  the  resulting  cap- 
ture of  Forts  Powell  and  Gaines,  was  another  scene  as 
terrible  as  New  Orleans,  and  still  more  splendidly 
illuminated  by  the  perfect  personal  courage  of  the 
Admiral,  ...  as  he  stood  lashed  in  the  rigging  of  the 
old  'Hartford,'  clear  above  the  smoke  of  the  battle, 
and,  even  when  he  saw  the  monitor  'Tecumseh'  sunk 
— the  ship  he  had  been  waiting  for,  for  months — yet 
ordered  his  wooden  fleet  straight  forward,  despite  forts, 


FAIiKAGUT   AT    MOBILE. 


JDAVID   GLASCOE  FARRAGUT.  367 

gunboats,  ram  and  torpedoes,  and  won  a  second  victorjj 
of  that  most  glorious  sort  only  possible  to  the  high, 
clear  and  intelligent  courage  of  a  leader  who  is  both 
truly  heroic  and  truly  wise/^ 

After  the  war,  while  in  Europe  as  a  representative 
of  the  United  States  navy,  he  received  enthusiastic 
testimonials  to  his  genius  and  his  individual  standing 
as  a  man  of  lofty  character  and  aims,  aside  from  the 
mere  deference  paid  to  his  official  position. 

Farragut's  personal  habits  were  ever  strictly  tem- 
perate, and  as  a  consequence,  he  enjoyed  vigorous 
health.  A  story  is  told  regarding  him,  of  a  bishop 
with  whom  he  once  dined,  who,  after  the  repast  was 
concluded,  offered  him  a  cigar.  "No,  Bishop,"  said 
the  Admiral,  with  a  quizzical  glance,  "I  don't  smoke 
— I  swear  a  little,  sometimes.'^ 

Not  only  has  the  muse  of  History  baptized  Farragut, 
and  the  breath  of  Art  breathed  upon  him  as  he  swung 
aloft  in  the  "Hartford,"  lashed  to  the  mast,  but  he  has 
gone  into  poetry,  in  whose  immortal  music  he  will  live 
forever. 

Few  heroes  as  grand  have  ever  been  illumined  by 
the  blaze  of  Fame — few  types  of  manhood  as  noble, 
have  thrilled  to  strains  as  lofty  the  harp  of  human 
life. 


CHAPTER    XXXiy. 
FRANZ     SIGEL, 

Early  Military  Education  and  Career. — Espousal  of  the  Cause  of 
the  Revolutionists. — Exiled. — Arrival  in  the  United  States. — 
Life  Previous  to  the  War, — A  Volunteer  in  the  Union  Army. — 
His  Military  Ability.— At  Wilson's  Creek.— The  Battle  of  Pea 
Ridge.— Fighting  Against  Enormous  Odds. — Splendid  Skill  Ex- 
hibited by  Sigel.— Difficulties  with  Halleck.— New  York  Indig- 
nation Meeting.— In  Command  at  Harper's  Ferry. — Battle  of 
Newmarket. — Close  of  Military  Career. 

THE  German  general — Franz  Sigel — was  born  at 
ZInsheim,  Baden,  November  eighteenth,  1824. 
He  was  educated  for  the  military  profession  and  at- 
tained distinction  in  his  native  country.  But  during 
the  German  revolution  of  1848,  his  sympathies  were 
so  thoroughly  and  strongly  republican,  that  he  resigned 
his  adjutant-general's  commission  and  became  a  leader 
in  the  liberal  movement.  After  the  defeat  of  the  revo- 
lutionists he  was  exiled  from  his  country  on  account  of 
the  dangerous  influence  he  exerted  as  a  liberalist.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1850,  and  between  that 
period  and  1858  he  taught  school  in  New  York  and 
St.  Louis. 

On  the  outbreak  of  civil  war  he  entered  the  volun- 
teer service  and  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  Third 
Missouri  Regiment,  as  its  colonel.  He  went  to  Spring- 
field, Missouri,  in  June,  and  from  that  point  was  sent 
to  hold  Price  and  Jackson  in  check.  He  came  upon 
their  united  forces  near  Carthage,  July  sixth,  where  a 
(368) 


FRANZ  SIGEL.  369 

severe  battle  ensued.  When  he  discovered  that  the 
enemy,  greatly  outnumbering  him,  were  trying  to  get 
between  him  and  his  trains,  he  ordered  a  retreat.  The 
ability  which  he  displayed  in  cutting  his  way  through 
Carthage  and  back  to  his  trains,  lifted  him  at  once  into 
fame,  and  the  name  of  Sigel  became  a  war  cry  among 
his  countrymen. 

At  Wilson's  Creek  he  made  a  tremendous  blunder 
by  mistaking  the  enemy's  troops  for  Lyon's  men,  and 
therefore  failed  to  bring  on  a  concerted  attack  in  the 
Confederate  rear  while  Lyon  assaulted  their  front. 
Owing  to  the  gloom  of  the  morning  and  the  absence 
of  all  uniform,  this  mistake  is  easily  accounted  for. 
AVhen  the  soldiers  of  Sigel's  command  waved  their 
flags  in  welcome  to  their  supposed  comrades  in  arms,  a 
destructive  fire  burst  upon  them  which  covered  the 
ground  with  the  dead  and  the  dying,  and  at  the  same 
moment  a  Confederate  battery  opened  upon  them  from 
the  hill.  Utter  confusion  and  rout  resulted.  Colonel 
Sigel,  in  his  efforts  to  arrest  the  disorderly  retreat,  nar- 
rowly escaped  capture.  In  this  action  he  lost  about 
one  thousand  men  and  five  guns. 

In  August,  he  was  made  brigadier-general  and  placed 
over  a  division  in  Fremont's  army,  and  in  the  following 
October  was  sent  in  search  of  Price. 

At  the  battle  of  Pea  Kidge,  Sigel  showed  himself  so 
conspicuously  capable  and  exhibited  such  a  high  order 
of  warlike  skill,  that  his  name  at  once  blazed  into 
national  repute  and  gave  promise  of  shining  bright 
among  the  brightest. 

This  famous  action  occurred  on  the  seventh  and 
eighth  of  March,  1862,  and  was  fought  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Boston  Mountains,  in  northwestern  Ar- 


370  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

kansas.  Price  and  McCulloch  had  been  driven  to  this 
point  from  Sugar  Creek,  fifty  miles  away,  and  were 
there  reinforced  by  Earl  Van  Dorn^s  troops,  which 
included  a  large  band  of  Indians. 

The  hostile  array,  confronting  the  Union  generals, 
was  made  up  of  nine  thousand  Missouri  troops,  six 
Arkansas  regiments,  five  Texan  regiments  and  three 
thousand  dusky  Indians,  making  an  aggregate  of 
twenty-five  thousand  men.  General  Curtis  awaited 
the  onset  of  this  force  a  short  distance  south  of  Pea 
Ridge,  preparing  himself  for  the  coming  battle. 

Meantime,  on  March  fifth,  Sigel,  then  at  Benton- 
ville,  ten  miles  away,  received  orders  to  join  Curtis  at 
Pea  Ridge,  and  on  the  next  day  the  command  was 
promptly  executed.  But  it  was  a  hazardous  and 
difficult  achievement.  Four  Confederate  regiments 
attacked  his  rear-guard,  which  consisted  of  the  Thirty- 
sixth  Illinois  and  Second  Missouri.  But  the  attack 
was  useless,  for  these  brave  men  cut  their  way  through 
the  solid  living  wall  of  rebel  soldiery,  and  rejoined 
their  comrades,  though  with  a  loss  of  twenty-eight 
killed  and  wounded,  and  a  number  of  prisoners.  For 
the  entire  distance  of  ten  miles  Sigel  contested  every 
step  of  his  advance.  Supported  by  the  infantry,  his 
guns  were  halted,  and  the  advancing  rebel  ranks,  un- 
able to  stand  before  the  discharges  of  grape  and  shell 
from  the  effective  aim  of  our  artillerymen,  broke  and 
fled  in  confusion.  Before  the  scattered  ranks  of  the 
enemy  could  reform,  the  guns  of  Sigel  were  limbered 
and  the  troops  fell  back  into  position  behind  another 
battery  planted  at  the  next  turn  in  the  road.  This 
programme  was  continuously  enacted  for  the  entire 
distance  of  ten    miles    between   Bentonville  and  Pea 


FRANZ  SIGEL.  371 

Ridge.  At  last  Sigel  arrived  at  the  west  end  of  Pea 
Ridge,  where  he  formed  a  junction  with  the  divisions 
of  Generals  Carr  and  Davis. 

The  Union  position  was  on  the  main  road  leading 
from  Springfield  to  Fayetteville.  The  first  two  divi- 
sions of  the  Union  troops  were  commanded  by  Sigel, 
and  when  the  intention  of  the  enemy  to  attack  his  right 
and  rear  became  apparent,  General  Curtis  changed 
front  and  Sigel  had  the  left  wing.  The  line  stretched 
across  Pea  Ridge. 

The  battle  opened  on  the  morning  of  the  seventh, 
and  soon  raged  with  fury  along  the  whole  line. 
During  the  afternoon,  McCulloch,  on  the  left  wing, 
endeavored  to  form  a  junction  with  the  troops  of  Van 
Dorn  and  Price,  thus  surrounding  the  Union  army  on 
three  sides,  and  cutting  off  their  retreat.  But  the 
quick  eyes  of  Sigel  detecting  the  movement,  he  or- 
dered forward  three  pieces  of  flying  artillery  and  a 
force  of  cavalry  to  take  a  commanding  position  and 
delay  the  movements  of  the  enemy  until  our  infantry 
could  be  brought  up  in  position  for  an  attack.  But 
these  pieces  had  hardly  been  placed  in  position  when 
an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  swept 
down  upon  them,  capturing  their  artillery  and  driving 
the  horsemen.  A  desperate  fight  at  this  point  then 
took  place,  and  just  as  the  ranks  of  the  Union  cavalry 
were  broken  and  victory  seemed  to  hover  on  the 
enemy's  banners,  Osterhaus  and  his  Indiana  regiments 
came  up  on  the  double-quick,  and  sending  a  murderous 
fire  into  the  enemy's  ranks,  charged  immediately  after 
with  the  bayonet.  This  bold  charge  put  to  rout  the 
Indians  and  Texans,  and  the  three  captured  field- 
pieces  were   recovered.     The  command  was  then  re- 


372       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

inforced   by   General   Sigel,  and    the   action  re-com- 
menced with  greater  fury  than  before. 

The  heavy  guns  of  the  enemy  were  brought  into 
position,  and  an  artillery  battle  took  place  which  re- 
sulted in  the  retirement  of  the  enemy  in  confusion, 
leaving  the  Union  troops  masters  of  this  part  of  the 
bloody  field.  Night  let  fall  her  intervening  curtain  of 
darkness  between  the  contending  armies,  with  Union 
success  on  the  left,  defeat  on  the  right,  and  the  battle 
yet  unfinished.  At  dark  the  firing  ceased  from  all 
quarters,  and  the  exhausted  soldiers  slept  upon  their 
arms.  Carr's  division  now  occupied  the  centre,  with 
Davis  on  the  right,  and  Sigel  still  holding  the  left. 
Near  the  position  occupied  by  our  forces  a  hill  rose 
abruptly  to  the  height  of  two  hundred  feet,  very  pre- 
cipitous in  our  front,  but  sloping  gradually  to  the 
northward.  On  this  eminence  the  enemy  during  the 
night  had  planted  batteries  which  commanded  our 
forces,  and  also  at  the  right  base  of  this  hill,  batteries 
and  large  bodies  of  infantry  were  posted.  At  the 
edge  of  some  timber  to  the  left,  supports  of  infantry 
were  disposed,  while  beyond  the  road,  to  the  extreme 
left,  were  posted  their  cavalry  and  infantry. 

At  sunrise  our  right  and  centre,  with  their  batteries, 
opened  fire  upon  the  enemy,  while  Sigel,  having 
learned  the  exact  position  of  the  enemy's  batteries, 
advanced  with  the  left  wing  to  take  the  hill,  forming 
his  line  of  battle  by  changing  front  so  as  to  face  the 
right  flank  of  the  enemy. 

Sigel  then  ordered  the  Twenty-fifth  Illinois  into 
position  along  a  fence  in  open  view  of  the  Confeder- 
ate batteries,  which  immediately  opened  fire  upon 
them.     One  of  our  batteries,  consisting  of  six  or  seven 


FRANZ  SIOEL.  373 

guns,  several  of  which  were  rifled  twelve-pounders, 
was  at  once  thrown  into  line  one  hundred  paces  to  the 
rear  of  our  advanced  infantry,  on  a  rise  of  ground. 

The  Twelfth  Missouri  then  wheeled  into  line  with 
the  Twenty-fifth  Illinois  on  their  left,  and  another 
battery  of  guns  similarly  arranged  a  short  distance 
behind  them.  But  the  crushing  array  was  not  yet 
complete,  for  still  another  regiment  and  another  bat- 
tery wheeled  into  position,  until  thirty  pieces  of 
artillery,  fifteen  or  twenty  paces  distant  from  each 
other,  formed  one  unbroken  line,  with  the  infantry 
lying  down  in  front.  As  each  piece  circled  into  posi- 
tion, its  fire  was  discharged  at  the  enemy,  and  the  fire 
of  the  entire  line  was  so  effective  as  to  silence  every 
Confederate  battery,  one  by  one.  For  two  hours  and 
over  this  terrible  rain  of  fire  continued. 

It  would  have  required  7iiore  than  human  bravery 
to  withstand  it.  The  ranks  of  the  foe  withered  under 
it  by  the  hundreds,  yet  they  stood  fast.  Sigel  and  his 
awful  guns  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  until  the  shortness 
of  range  grew  more  deadly.  "  No  charge  of  theirs 
could  face  that  iron  hail  or  dare  to  venture  on  that 
compact  line  of  bayonets.  They  turned  and  fled. 
The  centre  and  right  were  ordered  forward,  the  right 
turning  the  left  of  the  enemy,  and  cross-firing  on  his 
centre.  This  final  position  of  the  enemy  was  in  the 
arc  of  a  circle.  A  charge  of  infantry  by  the  whole 
line  completely  routed  them,  and  they  retreated 
through  the  deep,  impassable  defiles  of  Cross  Timber, 
towards  the  Boston  Mountains,  closely  pursued  by  the 

cavalry.'^ 

Not  long  after  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  Sigel  re- 
signed his  commission  on  account  of  alleged  ill-treat- 


374  HEROES  OF   THREE    WARS. 

ment  from  Halleck.  An  indignation  meeting  was 
called  in  New  York,  "  to  express  dissatisfaction  with 
the  course  pursued  towards  him,"  and  when  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  President,  he  promised  to  see  that 
justice  was  accorded  him.  Sigel  was,  therefore,  pro- 
moted to  major-general  in  the  following  summer,  and 
put  in  command  of  Harper's  Ferry,  He  subsequently 
commanded  the  division  of  Fremont  on  Fremont's 
resignation. 

At  the  battle  of  Manassas  or  the  Second  Bull  Eun, 
General  Sigel  figured  boldly  and  well.  During  the 
first  day  of  action  until  mid-afternoon,  he  fought  the 
battle  alone,  and  succeeded  in  driving  the  enemy.  On 
the  day  following,  also,  he  bore  his  part  gallantly,  re- 
tiring afterwards  with  the  army  to  the  vicinity  of 
Washington. 

On  the  fourteenth  of  September  he  was  placed  over 
the  Eleventh  Corps,  and  in  November  was  stationed  in 
the  gaps  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Soon  after,  he  again 
marched  towards  Washington,  and  established  his 
head-quarters  at  Fairfax  Court-House. 

In  the  Richmond  campaign  Grant  gave  him  a  sepa- 
rate command  in  the  Valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  "to 
protect  his  flank."  But  in  a  battle  near  Newmarket 
he  was  overwhelmingly  defeated  by  Breckenridge, 
losing  five  guns  and  nearly  seven  hundred  men.  On 
account  of  the  dissatisfaction  which  this  defeat  caused 
at  government  head-quarters,  he  was  relieved  of  his 
command  and  superseded  by  Hunter. 

His  war  career  ended  during  the  last  invasion  of 
Early.  At  this  time  he  was  in  Harper's  Ferry,  which 
he  evacuated.  He  subsequently  resigned  his  commis- 
sion, and  became  the  editor  of  a  German  paper  in 
Baltimore. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 
HUGH  JUDSON   KILPATRICK. 

Born  for  the  Cavalry— Romance  of  Early  Life.— Married  on  the 
Eve  of  Going  to  the  Front.— Her  Name  on  his  Banner.— Big 
Bethel.— Wounded.— To  the  Front  again.— Falmouth  Heights.— 
Kilpatrick's  First  Famous  Eaid.— Brandy  Station.—"  Men  of 
Maine,  Follow  Me !  "—Aldie.— Gettysburg.— Night  Battle  at 
Monterey.— New  Baltimore.— Attempt  to  Rescue  Prisoners.— 
Atlanta  Campaign.— Resaca.— Wounded.— Georgia  Campaign.— 
Waynesboro'.— At  Savannah.— Sherman's  Letter.— Promotion. 
—In  the  Carolinas.— Close  of  the  War. 

LIKE  the  French  Murat,  Kilpatrick  seems  to  have 
been  born  to  become  a  very  demi-god  of  cavalry. 
Daringly  heroic  on  the  field,  he  displayed  a  supreme 
genius  for  war,  especially  for  that  department  of  the 
service  whose  alarum  cry  is  "  To  horse  !  "  and  whose 
sweeping  squadrons,  with  wild  clatter  of  hoofs,  seem 
to  the  fervid  imagination  to  be  making  a  race  for 
glory,  even  though  it  be  through  the  gates  of  death. 

It  is  quite  in  keeping  with  everything  about  Kil- 
patrick that  he  should  choose  the  cavalry  as  a  vehicle 
for  his  high  ambition  and  noble  patriotism.  Such 
energies  as  his  could  scarcely  be  content  with  less  dash 
or  less  brilliance  of  action.  The  beginning  of  his  war 
career  was  one  of  romance,  and  his  previous  life 
indicated  an  unusual  range  of  abilities.  He  first 
figures  as  the  boy  orator,  speaking  in  favor  of  a 
congressional  candidate,  with  all  the  fresh  warmth  and 
enthusiasm  of  his   young  nature.     Then  we  see  him 

(375) 


376       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

as  cadet  at  West  Point,  from  which  he  graduates 
fifteenth  in  his  class,  and  is  given  the  honor  of  valedic- 
torian. The  day  of  graduation  is  hastened  a  few 
months  by  the  startling  guns  of  Sumter,  which  pro- 
claim treason  rampant  and  fire  all  loyal  breasts  with 
a  desire  to  rush  to  the  rescue  of  their  country's  be- 
loved flag.  The  impatience  and  enthusiasm  of  Kil* 
patrick  could  not  be  restrained,  and  through  his  influ- 
ence a  petition  was  signed  by  thirty-seven  of  his  class 
to  be  allowed  to  graduate  at  once  and  go  to  the  front. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  that  day  was  one  of 
especial  significance  at  West  Point.  It  was  also  one 
of  equal  significance  in  his  life;  for  the  little  chapel 
where  had  rung  out  the  words  of  his  farewell  address, 
also  witnessed  the  sacred  ceremony  of  his  marriage 
with  the  lady  of  his  love,  and  on  that  evening  the 
young  soldier  and  his  bride  took  the  train  for  Wash- 
ino^ton  and  the  front.  We  know  little  of  the  bride 
except  that  she  was  enshrined  in  her  husband's  love, 
and  that  her  name — "Alice" — was  inscribed  on  the 
silken  banner  under  which  he  fought  and  so  gloriously 
led  his  troopers  to  victory  and  renown.  No  one  can  tell 
how  much  that  name  may  have  had  to  do  with  his 
future  marvellous  success.  To  natures  like  his,  the 
magic  of  a  name  thus  loved,  fluttering  aloft  in  the 
smoke  of  battle,  becomes  talismanic,  and.  inspires 
almost  supernatural  heroism. 

Kilpatrick's  first  battle  was  fought  at  Big  Bethel  on 
June  eleventh,  1861,  where,  in  command  of  a  portion 
of  Duryea's  Zouaves,  he  led  the  advance,  and  in  the 
first  charge  received  a  grape-shot  .wound  in  his  thigh  ; 
but  though  covered  with  blood,  he  led  his  men  ii\ 
several  subsequent  charges,  and  was  finally  borne  from 


HUGH  JUDSON  KILPATBICK.  377 

the  field  fainting  from  exhaustion.  After  this  engage- 
ment he  returned  to  New  York,  and  was  not  able  to 
take  the  field  again  before  September. 

During^that  month  he  went  to  Washington,  received 
the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  m  the  Harris  Light  Cav- 
alry, and  began  preparations  for  the  front.  He  had  also 
received  the  promotion  of  first  lieutenant  in  the  First 
Artillery  in  the  regular  army.  In  addition  to  this  he 
became  inspector-general  of  McDowell's  division,  and 
was  also  on  the  board  for  examining  cavalry  officers  of 
the  volunteer  service. 

In  the  grand  movement  on  Manassas,  March  eighth, 
1862,  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  had  the  advance,  and  drove 
the  rear-guard  of  Lee's  army  from  that  place.  He 
advanced  to  Catlett's  Station  on  the  next  day,  where 
he  remained  until  April. 

When  McDowell  marched  to  Falmouth,  he  was  once 
more  at  the  front,  and   in    conjunction  with  Colonel 
Bayard  and  the  First  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  made  a 
brilliant  night  attack  on  Falmouth  Heights,  routing 
Lee's  cavalry  and  capturing  the  place.     For  this  dash- 
ing achievement  Kilpatrick  received  the  thanks  of  the 
commanding  general.     Afterwards,  under  Pope's  com- 
mand, he  made   his  first   famous   raid  in  breaking  up 
Stonewall  Jackson's  line  of  communication  with  Rich- 
mond  from   GordonsviUe  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
over  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad.     At  Beaver  Dam, 
Frederick's  Hall  and  flfcover  Junction,  he  burned  the 
stations,  destroyed  the  tracks,  and  daringly  attacked 
the  enemy  wherever  he  could  find  him.     These  events 
took  place  during  July  and  August,  1862,  and  the 
boldness   of  the   operations   in  the  very  heart  of  the 
enemy's   country,  filled   the   north   with   Kilpatrick's 
fame. 


378        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

In  Pope's  disastrous  campaigning,  Kilj)atrick'6  regi- 
ment was  with  Bayard's  cavalry  protecting  the  rear 
of  the  army  on  its  march  to  Washington.  When 
Hooker  was  placed  at  the  liead  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  the  cavalry  was  reorganized  iiiider  Stoneman 
as  chief,  and  that  general,  in  the  following  campaign, 
assigned  to  Kilpatrick  the  work  of  destroying  the  rail- 
road and  bridges  over  the  Chickahominy.  Four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men  were  given  him  for  the  work ;  but 
with  this  small  force  he  brought  to  the  difficult  mis- 
sion his  usual  skill,  and,  avoiding  large  forces  of  the 
enemy,  raided  to  within  two  miles  of  Richmond,  where 
he  captured  "Lieutenant  Brown,  aide-de-camp  to 
General  Winder,  and  eleven  men  within  the  fortifi- 
cations." He  says :  "  I  then  passed  down  to  the  left 
to  the  Meadow  Bridge  on  the  Chickahominy,  which  I 
burned,  ran  a  train  of  cars  into  the  river,  retired  to 
Hanovertown  on  the  Peninsula,  crossed  just  in  time  to 
check  the  advance  of  a  pursuing  cavalry  force,  burned 
a  train  of  thirty  wagons  loaded  with  bacon,  captured 
thirteen  prisoners,  and  encamped  for  the  night  five 
miles  from  the  river."  This  was  the  manner  of  his 
conquering  quest,  until  on  the  seventh,  he  again  struck 
the  Union  lines  at  Gloucester  Point,  having  made  a 
march  of  about  "  two  hundred  miles  in  less  than  five 
days,  and  captured  and  paroled  over  eight  hundred 
prisoners."  In  the  accomplishment  of  this  splendid 
feat  he  lost  only  one  officer  and  thirty-seven  men. 

After  Chancellorsville,  when  Lee  came  into  Mary- 
land and  massed  his  cavalry  at  Beverly  Ford,  Pleasan- 
ton  was  sent  forward  on  a  reconnoissance  and  met  the 
enemy  in  battle  at  Brandy  Station.  This  is  renowned 
as  the  greatest  cavalry  battle  of  the  war.     General 


HUGH  JUDSON  KJLPATRICK.  379 

Gregg  arrived  upon  the  field  at  half-past  ten  in  the 
morning,  and  though  his  noble  squadrons  fought  well 
and  bravely,  their  columns  were  rolled  back,  and  for  a 
moment  all  seemed  lost  and  overwhelmed  by  the  supe- 
rior numbers  of  the  foe.  But  at  this  crisis,  Kilpatrick, 
posted  on  "a  slight  rise  of  ground,  unrolled  his  battle- 
flag  to  the  breeze,  and  his  bugles  sounded  the  charge. 
He  had  under  his  command  the  Harris  Light,  Tenth 
New  York,  and  First  Maine.  The  formation  for  an 
onset  was  quickly  made,  and  the  disciplined  squadrons 
of  these  three  regiments  were  hurled  upon  the  enemy. 
But  the  Tenth  New  York  recoiled  before  the  murder- 
ous fire  of  the  enemy's  carbines.  So  did  the  Harris 
Light.  Kilpatrick  was  maddened  at  the  sight.  He 
rushed  to  the  head  of  the  First  Maine  Regiment, 
shouting,  ^'  Men  of  Maine,  you  must  save  the  day  ! 
Follow  me!"  Under  the  impulse  of  this  enthusiasm, 
they  became  altogether  resistless,  and  in  conjunction 
with  the  reformed  squadrons  of  the  other  two  regi- 
ments, swept  the  enemy  before  them,  and  plucked  vic- 
tory with  glorious  valor  from  the  very  jaws  of  defeat. 

On  the  next  day  Kilpatrick  was  made  brigadier- 
general,  and  the  battle  of  Aldie  was  fought  soon  after. 

At  Aldie  he  came  upon  the  advance  guard  of  Fitz- 
hugh  Lee.  This  place  is  in  a  gap  of  the  Bull  E-un 
Mountains,  and  lay  in  the  direct  line  of  Kilpatrick's 
reconnoissance  southward.  The  encounter  here  was 
unexpected,  but  Kilpatrick,  equal  to  the  moment, 
dashed  to  the  front,  made  a  rapid  survey  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  then  sounded  the  charge.  Fitzhugh  Lee  was 
at  first  taken  by  surprise,  and  did  not  oppose  the  head- 
long advance,  but  afterwards  rallied  and  fought  des- 
perately for  two  hours.  He  occupied  a  strong  position 
23 


380  HEROES   OF  THREE   WARS. 

on  the  crest  of  a  hill  behind  a  barricade  of  rails  and 
haystacks,  and  made  a  bold  stand.  Kilpatrick  ordered 
forward  a  battalion  of  the  Harris  Light,  pointed  to  the 
field  of  haystacks,  and  said  to  Major  Irvin  command- 
ing, "  Major,  there  is  the  opportunity  you  have  asked 
for.     Go,  take  that  position." 

This  was  an  allusion  to  a  request  made  by  the  regi- 
ment on  the  morning  of  that  day  to  "  retrieve  their 
reputation,"  knowing  that  they  had  failed  to  meet  Kil- 
patrick\s  expectations  at  Brandy  Station.  It  is  almost 
needless  to  say  that  the  position  was  gallantly  taken. 

But  the  enemy  rallied  again  for  a  last  desperate  at- 
tempt, and  success  for  the  Union  arms  now  seemed  wa- 
vering. Kilpatrick  rushed  to  the  rescue,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  First  Maine  swept  down  upon  the  advan- 
cing Confederate  ranks  with  such  fury  that  they  reeled 
and  broke  in  confusion.  They  were  driven  as  far  as 
Middleburg,  and  night  alone  saved  the  remnant  of  the 
command. 

An  incident  occurred  during  this  fight,  which  is 
worth  mentioning:  "Colonel  Cesnola,  of  the  Fourth 
New  York  Cavalry,  had  that  morning,  through  mis- 
take, been  placed  under  arrest,  and  his  sword  being 
taken  from  him  was  without  arms.  But  in  one  of  these 
wild  charges,  made  early  in  the  contest,  his  regiment 
hesitated.  Forgetting  that  he  was  under  arrest,  and 
without  command,  he  flew  to  the  head  of  his  regiment, 
reassured  his  men,  and,  without  a  weapon  to  give  or 
ward  a  blow,  led  them  to  the  charge.  This  gallant  act 
was  seen  by  his  general,  who,  meeting  him  on  his  return, 
said:  'Colonel,  you  are  a  brave  man  ;  you  are  released 
from  arrest;'  and, taking  his  own  sword  from  his  side, 
handed  it  to  the  colonel,  saying:    ^Here  is  my  sword  ; 


HUGH  JUnSON  KILPATRICK.  381 

wear  it  in  honor  of  this  clay ! '  In  the  next  charge 
Colonel  Cesnola  fell,  desperately  wounded,  and  was 
taken  prisoner/' 

On  June  twenty-first,  Kilpatrick  charged  the  town 
of  Upperville — with  sabres  alone — and  drove  the 
enemy  through  Ashby's  Gap. 

Soon  after  this  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  over  five 
thousand  cavalrymen — vice  Major-General  Stahel,  re- 
liev^ed — the  entire  cavalry  force  now  consisting  of 
three  grand  divisions,  commanded  by  Buford,  Gregg, 
and  Kilpatrick. 

Just  previous  to  the  Gettysburg  battle,  Kilpatrick 
had  a  desperate  engagement  with  Stuart's  cavalry  at 
the  town  of  Hanover.  For  hours  the  fight  raged  fu- 
riously, but  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Fifth 
and  Seventh  Michigan  regiments  came  on  the  field 
fresh,  and  their  weight  in  the  scales  gave  victory  to 
the  Union  arms. 

While  at  the  little  town  of  Abbottsville,  where  the 
worn-out  battalions  were  resting  after  their  severe 
fighting,  Kilpatrick  heard,  on  the  morning  of  July 
second,  the  thunder  of  guns  at  Gettysburg. 

At  once  his  bugles  sounded  "To  horse!"  and  the 
splendid  command  dashed  away  towards  the  scene  of 
conflict.  Arrived  on  the  field,  he  saw  at  once  where 
he  was  most  needed,  and  without  waiting  for  orders, 
moved  to  the  right  and  engaged  the  left  of  Lee's  line — 
at  Hunterstown.  Late  that  evening,  long  after  the 
clangor  of  contest  had  ceased  between  the  infantry 
lines,  the  shout  of  Kilpatrick's  galloping  squadrons  on 
the  right,  told  that  the  battle  there  went  well. 

At  daybreak,  on  the  third,  Kilpatrick  having 
marched  most  of  the  night,  occupied  a  position  near 


382       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

Little  Round  Top,  on  the  extreme  left.  Skirmishing 
had  begun  at  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  by 
afternoon  Kilpatrick  was  *^far  in  upon  the  enemy's 
flank  and  rear."  At  four  o'clock  a  heavy  force  of  Con- 
federate infantry  endeavored  to  turn  the  position  at 
Little  Round  Toj),  by  a  grand  charge  of  Longstreet's 
entire  corps.  If  they  succeeded,  the  day  was  lost.  But 
Kilpatrick  comprehended  the  situation,  and  having 
under  him  the  Regular  Brigade  and  General  Farns- 
worth  with  the  First  Virginia,  Eighteenth  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Fifth  New  York  regiments,  a  counter-charge 
on  the  enemy's  flank  and  left  was  ordered  which  broke 
their  lines,  and,  with  the  aid  of  the  artillery  fire  that 
now  rained  upon  them,  produced  terrible  confusion. 
It  was  a  grand  but  dearly  bought  victory  when  such 
generals  as  Farnsworth  baptized  the  soil  with  their 
precious  blood.  But  the  country  rung  with  well- 
deserved  plaudits  for  the  cavalry. 

At  daybreak,  on  the  fourth,  Kilpatrick's  columns 
were  in  motion,  marching  for  the  nearest  point  on  the 
Gettysburg  and  Hagerstown  road,  crossing  the  moun- 
tains at  Monterey,  w^ith  orders  to  intercept  the  enemy 
and  harass  his  retreat  in  all  possible  ways. 

When  near  the  mountain  top,  in  a  long,  narrow, 
winding  road,  with  bluffs  on  one  side  and  a  ravine 
on  the  other,  the  enemy's  artillery  and  musketry  sud- 
denly blazed  out  upon  them  in  the  midnight  gloom. 
It  was  raining  in  torrents  and  the  darkness  was  so 
great  that  friend  and  foe  were  alike  indistinguishable. 
It  did,  indeed,  require  more  than  ordinary  courage  and 
generalship  to  prevent  panic  and  compass  victory. 
But  as  on  many  a  previous  occasion,  Kilpatrick  was 
equal  to  this.     The  recoil  of  his  troops  was  only  mo- 


HUan  JUDSON  kilpatrick.  ■  383 

mentary.  Riding  at  their  head,  he  led  the  attack  with 
such  skill  and  impetuous  onset  that  the  enemy  fled, 
leaving  in  the  victorious  raider's  hands  ^^ their  guns,  a 
battle  flag  and  four  hundred  prisoners."  He  was  now 
in  advance  of  the  retreating  Confederate  army,  and  on 
the  following  day  ^^ captured  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty  prisoners,  including  many  officers  of  rank,  and 
destroyed  Ewell's  immense  wagon  train  nine  miles 
long."  At  four  o'clock  he  met  and  defeated  Stuart  in 
an  engagement  at  Smithburg,  and  then  moved  to  Boons- 
boro'.  The  battle  at  that  place  followed  on  July 
eighth.  It  was  a  brilliant  affair  in  which  Kilpatrick 
and  Buford  shared  equal  glory.  On  the  thirteenth, 
Kilpatrick  came  upon  the  enemy's  infantry,  under  Gen- 
eral Pettigrew,  one  mile  from  Falling  Waters,  and 
brought  on  an  engagement  in  which  that  general  was 
killed  in  a  sabre  charge  by  the  Sixth  Michigan  Regi- 
ment. 

From  the  battle  at  Hanover  Farm  until  this  period, 
Kilpatrick  had  conquered  fifteen  splendid  victories  in 
as  many  days,  had  driven  the  enemy  from  northern 
soil  and  was  almost  constantly  in  the  saddle — riding 
hundreds  of  miles.  "His  division  at  the  outset  con- 
sisted of  five  thousand  men,  and  at  the  end  of  the  cam- 
paign he  reported  the  capture  of  four  thousand  five 
hundred  prisoners,  nine  guns  and  eleven  battle-flags." 

Unable  longer  to  hold  out  against  this  terrible  strain 
on  his  energies,  he  obtained  leave  of  absence  and  went 
to  his  home  on  the  Hudson,  where  he  remained  until 
September. 

During  that  month  he  rejoined  his  command  at  War- 
renton,  and  was  received  with  unbounded  joy.  In  the 
general  advance  of  the  army  which  followed,  Kilpatrick 


384  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

crossed  the  Rappahannock  at  Kelly's  Ford,  and  on  the 
old  battle-ground  of  Brandy  Station,  where  Gregg  and 
Buford  were  hard  pressed,  again  decided  the  issues  of 
conflict. 

The  last  fight  during  October,  on  these  famous  plains, 
in  which  the  great  cavalry  chiefs  of  the  war  distin- 
guished themselves — the  severe  engagement  at  New 
Baltimore — the  noble  attempt  made  by  Kilpatrick  to 
rescue  the  Belle  Isle  and  Libby  prisoners  in  February 
of  1864 — the  death  of  his  wife  "Alice" — these  events 
marked  his  record  until  he  was  needed  in  the  great 
Atlanta  campaign  and  summoned  to  join  Sherman  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee. 

When  the  grand  armies  moved,  Kilpatrick  led  the 
advance,  and  in  the  wild  and  victorious  charge  at  E,e- 
saca,  reeled  from  the  saddle  and  was  borne  from  the 
field  desperately  wounded  by  a  rifle  ball.  Through 
the  long  months  of  illness  which  followed,  he  was 
nursed  into  convalescence  at  his  home  on  the  Hudson, 
and  when  the  news  came  that  Atlanta  must  fall  in  a 
few  days,  nothing  could  restrain  him  from  going  at 
once  to  the  front.  He  joined  his  command  at  Carters- 
ville,  and,  not  yet  able  to  ride  on  horseback,  went  to 
the  front  in  a  carriage. 

In  the  daring  raid  now  performed  by  Kilpatrick  on 
the  enemy's  flank,  by  means  of  which  Sherman  was 
enabled  to  get  in  rear  of  the  Confederate  army  and  take 
Atlanta,  some  of  the  most  brilliant  movements  were 
executed,  and  no  peril  of  any  kind  seemed  too  great  to 
baflle  his  genius. 

Then  followed  his  ride  through  the  heart  of  Georgia. 
On  the  fourteenth  day  of  November,  1864,  the  long 
march  from  Marietta  to  Savannah  began — Kilpatrick's 


HUGH  JUDSON  KILPATRICK.  385 

command  consisting  of  two  brigades  of  twenty-five 
liundred  men  each.  The  plan  of  march  was  to  sweep 
across  the  country  in  seven  days  by  way  of  Atlanta  to 
Milledgeville,  thence  to  Millen  and  Waynesboro' — then 
to  the  sea.  At  \yaynesboro'  a  hard  battle  was  fought, 
and  the  enemy  under  Wheeler  routed. 

On  December  twenty-first,  a  triumphant  entry  into 
Savannah  was  made.  Since  November  fourteenth  they 
had  "three  times  crossed  from  left  to  right,  and  right 
to  left,  in  front  of  the  army,  and  had  marched  over 
five  hundred  and  forty-one  miles."  A  letter  from 
Sherman,  December  twenty-ninth,  in  the  field  before 
Savannah,  shows  the  high  value  he  placed  upon  Kil- 
patrick's  services : 

"  But  the  fact  that  to  you,  in  a  great  measure,  we 
owe  the  march  of  four  strong  infantry  columns,  with 
heavy  trains  and  wagons,  over  three  hundred  miles 
through  an  enemy's  country,  without  the  loss  of  a 
single  wagon  and  without  the  annoyance  of  cavalry 
dashes  on  our  flanks,  is  honor  enough  for  any  cavalry 
commander." 

The  valiant  chief  was  promoted  to   the   rank  of 
major-general   at   Savannah,  on   January  fourteenth, « 
1865. 

In  the  great  campaign  in  the  Carolinas,  rapid 
marches,  feints  and  fighting  were  the  order  of  the  day, 
which  at  last  resulted  in  the  fall  of  Columbia,  in  the 
occupancy  of  Fayetteville,  and  the  fight  at  Averys- 
boro',  where  Kilpatrick  made  a  stand  on  a  battle- 
ground with  a  ravine  in  his  rear  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  securing  it.  In  this  action,  which  occurred  on 
March  sixteenth,  the  cavalry  and  infantry  fought  side 
by  side,  mounted  and  dismounted,  and   behaved  most 


386  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

gallantly.  This  action  ended,  the  cavalry  command 
went  into  camp  at  Mount  Olive,  on  the  Wilmington 
military  road,  and  rested  from  its  labors,  after  having 
endured  marvellous  hardships  and  rendered  invaluable 
services.  In  a  circular  issued  to  his  troops  on  March 
twenty-second,  Kilpatrick  said : 

"  Soldiers,  be  proud  !  Of  all  the  brave  men  of  this 
great  army,  you  have  a  right  to  be.  You  have  won 
the  admiration  of  our  infantry,  fighting  on  foot  and 
mounted,  and  you  will  receive  the  outspoken  words  of 
praise  from  the  great  Sherman  himself.  ....  With 
the  old  laurels  of  Georgia,  entwine  those  won  in  the 
Carolinas,  and  proudly  wear  them  ! " 

General  Kilpatrick  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1838, 
and  since  the  war  has  been  appointed  to  high  civic 
positions.  Of  him  and  the  brave  troopers  with  whom 
he  nobly  battled  for  country  and  the  freedom  of  its  in- 
stitutions, let  it  be  said : 

"  Honor  the  brave  and  bold ! 
Long  shall  the  tale  be  told, — 
Yea,  when  our  babes  are  old, 
How  they  rode  onward !  '* 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
PHILIP    KEARNY. 

Birthplace.— Where  Educated.— In  Europe.— Fighting  Abroad.— 
Honors.— Participates  in  the  Mexican  War.— Loss  of  an  Arm.-- 
In  Europe  Again.— At  Magenta  and  Solferino.— At  the  Front  in 
our  Last  War.— Bravery  at  Williamsburg.— Promotion.— Kear- 
ny's Power  over  his  Men.— The  Battle  of  Chantilly.— Death's 
Sad  Eclipse.—"  Lay  Him  Low." 

THIS  gallant,  impetuous,  headlong  fighter— a  veri- 
table son  of  Mars— was  born  in  New  York  on 
June  second,  1815.  He  received  his  education  at  Co- 
lumbia College,  and  afterwards  studied  law.  In  1837, 
he  became  a  lieutenant  in  the  First  Dragoons,  of  which 
his  uncle,  Stephen  Watts  Kearny,  was  colonel.  Soon 
after  receiving  this  appointment,  he  was  ordered  by  Gov- 
ernment to  visit  Europe,  to  report  upon  the  tactics  of 
the  French  cavalry  service.  While  there,  he  made 
himself  proficient  in  the  Polytechnic  School  at  Saumur, 
and  subsequently  joined  the  Chasseurs  d'Afrique  in 
Algeria,  in  which  his  gallantry  won  him  the  decora- 
tion of  the  "  Cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor." 

In  1840,  Kearny  came  back  to  his  native  shores, 
and  when  the  Mexican  war  broke  out,  served  on  the 
stair  of  General  Scott. 

In  1846,  he  was  made  a  captain  of  dragoons,  and 
*  received  the  brevet  of  major  for  bravery  at  Contreras 
and  Churubusco. 

At  the  San  Antonia  Gate  of  the  ancient  city  of  Mex- 
ico, during  the  last  assault,  he  lost  an  arm. 

(387) 


388  HEROES  OF  THREE    WARS. 

After  the  return  of  peace  to  that  chaotic  country,  he 
was  again  on  the  war  path  in  tlie  far  west,  against  the 
Indians  on  the  Columbia  River  and  in  California. 

In  1851,  he  went  to  Europe  to  continue  his  military 
studies,  and  during  this  sojourn  in  foreign  parts  he 
became  volunteer  aide  to  General  Maurier,  of  the  French 
array,  who  was  engaged  in  the  Italian  war  of  1859. 

For  bravery  at  Magenta  and  Solferino,  Kearny  re- 
ceived a  second  time  the  decoration  of  the  "  Cross  of 
the  Legion  of  Honor." 

The  outbreak  of  our  last  war  brought  him  quickly 
home,  and  his  patriot  blade  was  soon  unsheathed  at  the 
front.  Government  at  once  gave  him  the  appointment 
of  brigadier-general  of  volunteers.  During  the  Pen- 
insular campaign  he  commanded  a  division,  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  especially  at  Williamsburg  and 
Fair  Oaks. 

At  Williamsburg,  when  he  came  to  the  relief  of 
Hooker,  Kearny  performed  a  feat  of  daring  which 
made  him  the  idol  of  his  division.  Wishing  to  dis- 
close the  enemy's  concealed  position  to  his  command, 
he  called  the  officers  of  his  staff  together,  dashed  out 
into  the  open  field  and  rode  leisurely  along  the  entire 
line.  Five  thousand  guns  belched  forth  their  death- 
dealing  missiles,  bullets  fell  around  them  like  hail,  two 
of  his  aids  and  three  orderlies  fell  dead  at  his  side,  and 
before  he  reached  the  end  of  his  perilous  ride,  he  found 
himself  almost  alone.  By  this  exploit  he  was  enabled 
to  accomplish  his  object  of  discovering  the  strength  of 
the  enemy ;  then  riding  back  to  his  division,  he  shouted, 
"You  see,  my  boys,  where  to  fire !"  Kearny  now  held 
his  own  until  General  Hancock  came  up  and  by  a  flank 
movement  forced  the  enemy  to  retire  to  his  fortifications. 


PHILIP  KEARNY.  389 

At  Harrison's  Landing  he  was  promoted  to  major- 
general  of  volunteers,  dating  from  July  fourth,  1862, 
and  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  he  was  again 
conspicuous  for  gallant  conduct. 

An  eye-witness,  who  saw  Kearny  in  the  last  action 
which  preceded  Malvern  Hill,  said  that  besides  seem- 
ing to  be  omnipresent  on  the  field,  he  gave  "electric 
strength  to  his  men  wherever  he  appeared.  Waving 
his  brave  one  arm,  more  to  be  dreaded  than  two,  and 
saying,  with  a  smile  into  the  eyes  of  every  man, 
^Gayly,  my  boys,  go  in  gayly !'  he  drew  them  on  into 
the  thickest  fight  with  an  abandon  which  must  have 
been  seen  to  be  realized. 

"General  Kearny  possessed  that  rarest  gift  of  intuitive 
anticipation  of  the  enemy's  plans — that  sure  instinct 
of  the  nearest  danger  which  is  almost  a  battle  second 
sight  and  which  would  have  made  him,  had  he  lived, 
one  of  our  most  famous  generals." 

On  the  first  of  September,  1862,  at  sunset,  Stonewall 
Jackson  made  a  sudden  descent  on  the  Union  forces  at 
Chantilly,  under  Reno.  A  furious  thunder  storm  was 
raging  in  the  sky  above,  while  the  battle  raged  on  the 
plain  below.  The  enemy  was  driven  back  at  all  points. 
But  when  General  Stevens  fell  at  the  head  of  his  com- 
mand while  leading  a  charge,  confusion  ensued  and  the 
first  division  of  Reno,  which  it  uncovered,  also  became 
demoralized.  It  was  at  this  critical  juncture  of  affairs 
that  General  Kearny,  leading  one  of  Heintzleman's 
divisions,  advanced  to  the  rescue  and  with  a  terrific 
charge  drove  the  Confederates  from  the  field.  The 
victory  was  complete,  but  Kearny's  life  paid  the  forfeit. 
Amid  the  clash  of  battle  and  the  crash  of  warring 
elements  his  life  went  out  in  a  blaze  of  glory,  leaving 
only  the  bleeding  and  inanimate  clay  behind. 


390       HEROES   OF  THREE  WARS. 

"Flowers  of  red  shot,  red  lightnings  strewed  his  bier, 
And  night,  black  night,  the  mourner." 

His  soldierly  impetuosity,  never  outdone  in  deeds  of 
bravery,  won  him  the  admiration,  the  respect,  the  love 
of  all ;  and  that  peculiar  homage  is  his  which  we  give 
to  leaders  who  fall  in  the  brunt  of  battle,  while  fight- 
ing in  a  glorious  cause. 

"Close  his  eyes,  his  work  is  done, 
What  to  him  is  friend  or  foeman, 
Kise  of  morn  or  set  of  sun, 
Hand  of  man  or  kiss  of  woman  ? 
Lay  him  low,  lay  him  low, 
In  the  clover  or  the  snow, 
What  cares  he  ?  he  cannot  know- 
Lay  him  low. 


"Fold  him  in  his  country's  stars, 

KoU  the  drum  and  fire  the  volley, 
What  to  him  are  all  our  wars, 

What  but  death  bemocking  folly? 
Lay  him  low,  lay  him  low, 
In  the  clover  or  the  snow, 
What  cares  he  ?  he  cannot  know*-* 
Lay  him  low." 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
NATHANIEL  LYON. 

Df  Soldier  Ancestry.— Early  Childhood.— Graduates  at  West  Point, 
— In  the  Mexican  War. — On  the  Frontier. — Rescue  of  the  St. 
Louis  Arsenal! — Given  the  Chief  Command  in  Missouri. — At 
Wilson's  Creek.— Fighting  Against  Terrible  Odds.— Twice 
Wounded.— The  Last  Charge.— Lyon's  Fall.— Plis  Civilian's 
Dress.— Funeral  Honors.— The  Sorrowful  Multitudes.— Funeral 
Oration  at  Eastford. — Resolutions  of  Respect. 

BY  the  red  torch  of  battle,  h'ghted  at  Wilson's  Creek, 
the  warrior  soul  of  Lyon  was  sent  on  its  unre- 
turning  journey  across  the  Stygian  river,  to  the  misty 
land  of  the  Hereafter. 

He  fell,  deeply  lamented  by  his  country,  sincerely 
mourned  by  thousands.  No  officer  had  been  killed  in 
battle  previous  to  that  date  whose  loss  was  felt  to  be  so 
personal  a  sorrow.  The  shrouded  form  of  the  dead 
hero,  touched  by  the  strange  magic  of  death,  was  borne 
from  the  field  to  his  home  in  the  east,  amid  a  spon- 
taneous outburst  of  sorrow  from  gathered  multitudes  all 
along  the  route.  And  in  that  last  tearful  incense  of 
public  bereavement  his  name  still  burns — "a  name 
immortal,  won  by  deeds  immortal." 

Lyon  was  born  in  1821,  at  Eastford,  Windham 
County,  Connecticut,  and  from  childhood  listened  with 
rapt  interest  to  the  recital  of  deeds  of  daring  per- 
formed by  brave  ancestors  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
It  is  not  strange  that  his  young  and  enthusiastic  heart 
was  fired  by  these  oft-repeated  tales,  or  that  his  choice 

(3911 


392  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

of  vocation  was  thereby  the  more  strongly  drawn  to* 
wards  a  military  life. 

His  paternal  grandfather  served  in  both  the  French 
and  Revolutionary  wars,  and  his  mother's  father  ren- 
dered himself  prominent  and  fought  the  fight  of  liberty 
at  White  Plains  and  Bunker  Hill. 

Young  Lyon  graduated  from  West  Point  in  1841, 
with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant  of  the  Second  In- 
fantry, and  performed  his  maiden  service  in  Florida. 
Subsequently,  he  went  on  duty  in  the  frontier  terri- 
tories. 

In  the  Mexican  war,  he  participated  in  every  battle 
under  Scott,  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  City  of  the  Mon- 
tezumas,  receiving  promotions  for  gallant  conduct.  In 
June,  1851,  he  was  given  a  captain's  commission. 

"After  the  conclusion  of  peace  with  Mexico,  he  was 
ordered  to  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  preparatory 
to  a  contemplated  march  overland  to  California.  By  a 
change  of  orders  from  the  War  Department,  his  regi- 
ment w^as  despatched  by  ship  via  Cape  Horn,  and 
reached  California  soon  after  its  acquisition  by  the 
United  States.  His  stay  in  California  was  prolonged 
beyond  that  of  most  of  his  fellow-officers,  and  his  time 
unceasingly  employed  in  operating  among  the  Indians, 
subjected  to  long  and  tedious  marches,  constant  alarms, 
and  frequent  skirmishes,  living  a  large  portion  of  the 
time  in  tents,  and  subject  to  the  fatigues  and  privations 
incident  to  a  campaign  in  that  new  and  hitherto  un- 
known country,  so  far  removed  from  the  comforts  of 
civilization.'' 

At  the  end  of  his  California  service,  Lyon  went 
again  to  the  frontier,  doing  duty  principally  in  Kansas 
and    Nebraska.     On   the    outbreak    of   the    Kansas 


NATHANIEL  LYON.  393 

troubles,  he  was  sent  to  tlie  head-quarters  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  West,  at  St.  Louis.  Here,  by  a  bold 
and  dashing  stroke  of  genius,  he  rescued  the  St.  Louis 
arsenal  from  the  hands  of  his  country's  enemies. 

When  General  Harney  relinquished  the  chief  com- 
mand of  this  department,  Captain  Lyon,  after  having 
been  chosen  general  by  the  Missouri  volunteers,  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  brigadier-general,  and  was 
given  the  chief  command  in  Missouri.  This  he  re- 
tained until  Fremont  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
Department  of  the  Mississippi,  on  July  ninth. 

The  sword,  instead  of  the  pen,  has  written  at  Wil- 
son's Creek  the  remaining  chapter  of  Lyon's  life.  The 
fatal  engagement  was  the  result  of  his  choice  between 
dishonorable  retreat  and  an  encounter  with  overwhelm- 
ing numbers  of  the  enemy.  He  did  not  for  an  in- 
stant hesitate  in  that  choice,  though  fully  realizing 
the  dangers  to  be  met.  His  plan  of  action  was  mas- 
terly, and  if  Sigel's  forces  had  not  mistaken  the  foe 
for  Lyon's  troops,  it  seems  probable  that  the  entire 
Confederate  army  under  Price  would  have  been  routed. 

Lyon,  with  intrepid  leadership,  fought  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fray,  inspiring  his  men  by  voice  and  example. 
A  short  time  previous  to  his  fall,  he  "  had  received  two 
wounds,  and  had  his  fine  dappled  gray  shot  under  him, 
which  is  sufficient  evidence  that  he  had  sought  no  place 
of  safety  for  himself  while  he  placed  his  men  in  dan- 
ger. Indeed,  he  had  already  unwisely  exposed  him- 
self. Seeing  blood  upon  his  hat,  one  who  was  with 
him  inquired,  ^  General,  are  you  badly  hurt  ?'  to  which 
he  replied,  ^  I  think  not  seriously.'  He  had  mounted 
another  horse  and  was  as  busily  engaged  as  ever." 

Lyon  was  filled  with  admiration  at  the  bravery  of 


394  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

his  men,  and  "  praised  their  behavior  in  glowing  terms 
with  almost  his  last  breath."  He  wanted  a  bayonet 
charge  made,  and  three  companies  of  lowans  at  once 
offered  to  go.  They  asked  for  a  leader.  No  time 
could  be  lost  to  select  one,  for  the  enemy  was  rushing 
to  a  fresh  attack.  At  this  juncture  Lyon  exclaimed  ; 
"  I  will  lead  you !  Come  on,  brave  men ! "  The 
charge  was  made,  and  the  Confederates  recoiled  before 
their  wild  onset ;  but  when  the  smoke  lifted  a  little, 
the  fearless  lowans  were  without  their  great  leader. 
The  noble  heart  had  throbbed  its  last — Lyon  was  dead. 

He  had  gone  into  battle  in  civilian's  dress,  with  the 
exception  of  a  military  coat.  "  He  wore  a  soft  hat  of 
an  ashen  hue,  with  long  fur  and  a  very  broad  brim, 
turned  up  on  three  sides.  He  had  been  wearing  it  for 
a  month  ;  there  was  only  one  like  it  in  the  command, 
and  it  would  have  individualized  the  wearer  among  fifty 
thousand  men.  His  peculiar  dress  and  personal  ap- 
pearance were  well  known  through  the  enemy's  camps. 
He  received  a  new  and  elegant  uniform  just  before  the 
battle,  but  never  wore  it  until  his  remains  were  arrayed 
in  it,  after  his  brave  spirit  had  fled." 

There  is  no  doubt  that  Lyon  made  this  attack  fully 
comprehending  that  the  ^'odds  Avere  fearfully  against 
him,  and  that  little  short  of  a  miracle  could  enable 
him  to  come  off  victorious.  But  he  felt  that  the  cause 
demanded  it;  that  for  him  to  abandon  Springfield  with- 
out a  battle  would  demoralize  and  dishearten  the  Union 
men  of  southwest  Missouri,  and  pain  every  loyal  breast 
in  the  nation.  .  .  .  He  had  no  alternative  but  to  fall 
back  to  Kolla,  or  to  attack  the  enemy.  He  obeyed  the 
voice  of  patriotism  and  went  out  to  danger  and  to  death 
on  that  summer  morning,  as  a  man  goes  to  his  bridal. 


NATHANIEL   LYON.  395 

Twice  wounded,  he  was  still  undaunted,  and  refused 
to  .  .  .  seek  a  less  exposed  position.  Even  after 
he  believed  the  day  lost,  he  sprang  eagerly  from  his 
dead  horse  into  a  fresh  saddle,  at  the  head  of  a  forlorn 
hope,  dashed  into  the  thick  of  the  fight,  and  died  like 
a  true  soldier/^ 

A  guard  of  honor,  chosen  from  among  his  brother 
officers  and  the  St.  Louis  Home-Guards,  escorted  the 
loved  remains  to  his  home  in  Connecticut.  After 
arriving  at  the  village  of  Eastford,  the  body  was  con- 
signed to  its  last  resting-place,  and  the  funeral  oration 
pronounced  by  the  Honorable  Galusha  A.  Grow. 

One  of  the  resolutions  adopted  at  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  Eastford,  convened  at  that  time,  was  as 
follows : 

^'Resolved,  That  as  his  fellow-townsmen,  while  we 
mourn  our  loss,  we  rejoice  that  we  have  his  birth-spot 
among  us  to  cheer  us  in  steadfast  devotion  to  our  coun- 
try ;  and  we  trust  his  grave  among  us  will  be  the  spot 
where  future  generations  will  gather,  and  be  inspired 
with  a  noble  emulation  of  his  virtues,  and  the  virtues 
of  Sherman,  Trumbull,  Putnam,  and  others  who  have 
arisen  in  this  State,  defenders  of  their  country's  flag, 
and  supporters  of  its  government." 

A  great  historian  has  said  of  Lyon  :  "  His  military 
services  were  beyond  all  praise  ;  his  character  was  beau- 
tifully earnest;  and  his  sad  death  reflects  infinite  honor 
on  his  own  memory,  and  I  fear  shame  on  those  who  let 
him  fall  a  martyr  to  his  duty,  his  patriotism,  his  zeal 
and  the  natural  self-sacrificing  element  of  his  character." 

*'  Koll,  stirring  drum,  still  roll, 
Not  a  sign,  not  a  sound  of  woe, 
That  a  grand  and  a  glorious  soul 
Hath  gone  where  the  br^ve  must  go." 
24 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
ELMER  EPHRAIM  ELLSViTORTM. 

"  How  Knightly  looked  he  as  he  rode  to  Hounds ! " — Character.— 
An  Enthusiast  in  Military  Science. — The  French  Zouave  Tac- 
tics.— A  Noble  Ambition. —  Early  Struggles.  —  The  Chicago 
Zouaves. — Their  Perfection  of  Drill  and  Character. — A  Tour  of 
Triumph. — In  New  York.— A  Favorite  of  Lincoln. — The  War 
Clarion. — New  York  Fire  Zouaves. — Sword  Presentations. — In 
the  South. — Last  Night  at  Alexandria. — Letter  Home. — Tiie 
Dread  Tragedy. —  Universal  Grief.  —  Lincoln's  Sorrow. — The 
Genius  of  Ellsworth. 

WE  love  the  memory  of  Ellsworth  as  that  of  our 
most  chivalrous  ideal  of  the  young  and 
glorious  and  knightly  soldier.  His  pictured  face  wears 
a  look  prophetic  of  some  high  and  unusual  destiny. 
The  eyes  contain  much  of  soul,  and  are  of  that  kind 
which  Emerson  would  designate  as  "  full  of  fate."  He 
is  described  as  having  been  strikingly  prepossessing  in 
appearance,  and  his  voice,  which  was  ^'  deep  and 
musical,  and  instantly  attracted  attention,"  chorded 
well  with  so  splendid  a  presence.  "  His  form,  though 
slight,  was  very  compact  and  commanding:  the  head 
statuesquely  poised  and  crowned  with  a  luxuriance  of 
curling  black  hair ;  a  hazel  eye,  bright  though  serene, 
the  eye  of  a  gentleman  as  well  as  a  soldier;  a  nose 
such  as  you  see  on  Roman  medals ;  a  light  moustache 
just  shading  the  lips  that  were  continually  curving  into 
the  sunniest  smiles."  His  tread  was  full  of  elastic 
grace,  and  gave  to  his  figure  its  commanding  ease  oi 
(396) 


ELMER   EPHRAIM  ELLSWORTH.  397 

attitude.  "ISTo  one  ever  possessed  greater  power  of 
enforcing  the  respect  and  fastening  the  affections  of 
men.  Strangers  soon  recognized  and  acknowledged 
this  power ;  while  to  his  friends  he  always  seemed  like 
a  Paladin  or  Cavalier  of  the  dead  days  of  romance  and 
beauty."  Every  one  with  whom  he  came  in  contact 
was  impressed  with  his  intense  vitality  and  the  strength 
and  warmth  of  his  nature. 

All  this  graciousness  of  physique  did  not  belie  the 
man.  He  was  the  soul  of  honor,  the  embodiment  of 
high  desires,  and  "  amiable  words  and  courtliness  and 
love  of  truth,  and  all  that  makes  a  man."  He  might 
have  belonged  to  Arthur's  court,  the  stainless  English 
king,  and  been  numbered  among  those  ancient  and 
proud  knights  of  the  Round  Table,  "  who  reverenced 
their  conscience  as  their  king ;  whose  glory  was  redress- 
ing human  wrong;  who  spoke  no  slander,  no,  nor 
listened  to  it ;  who  loved  one  only  and  who  clave  to 
her,  and  worshipped  her  by  years  of  noble  deeds,"  and 
worthily  lived,  ''  wearing  the  white  flower  of  a  blame- 
less life." 

By  some  prophetic  forecast  or  singular  chance,  he 
had,  for  several  years  previous  to  the  opening  of  our 
last  war,  been  an  enthusiast  in  military  science,  and 
was  the  first  one  who  introduced  into  this  country  the 
French  Zouave  system  of  tactics.  He  amended  both 
the  French  and  Hardee,  so  that  the  movements  in  his 
manual  of  arms  were  each  natural  sequences  of  the 
others.  "  He  studied  the  science  of  fence  so  that  he 
could  hold  a  rapier  with  De  Yilliers,  the  most  dashing 
of  the  Algerine  swordsmen.  He  always  had  a  hand 
as  true  as  steel  and  an  eye  like  a  ger-falcon.  He  used 
to  amuse  himself  by  shooting  ventilation  holes  through 


398       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

his  window  panes.  Standing  ten  paces  from  the  win- 
dow, he  could  fire  the  seven  shots  from  his  revolver 
and  not  shiver  the  glass  beyond  the  circumference  of  a 
half  dollar."  "A  photograph  of  his  arm  taken  at  this 
time  shows  a  knotted  coil  of  sinews  like  a  magnificent 
exaggeration  of  antique  sculpture." 

His  great  aim  was  to  reorganize  the  United  States 
militia,  which  his  keen  eye  saw  to  be  full  of  defects. 
He  went  about  this  work  in  a  clear  and  practical  way, 
which  won  admiration  from  those  in  authority.  There 
was  to  be  an  initial  experiment — an  operative  demon- 
stration of  his  theories ;  and  consequently,  on  the  fourth 
of  May,  1859,  he  organized  the  United  States  Zouave 
Cadets  of  Chicago. 

Previous  to  this  date  his  life  had  been  full  of  the 
tonic  of  untoward  circumstance.  Born  at  Mechanics- 
ville.  New  York,  April  twenty-third,  1836,  he  acquired 
readily  the  common  school  education  afforded  by  his 
native  place,  and  thirsted  for  more.  The  limited 
means  of  his  parents  did  not  permit  an  outlay  in  that 
direction.  The  successive  steps  of  his  effort  during 
this  emerging  period  were  from  a  printing  office  to 
New  York  city,  from  New  York  to  Boston,  from  Bos- 
ton a  year  after  to  Chicago,  in  1857.  Here  he  em- 
barked in  business  only  to  be  wrecked  by  the  dishonesty 
of  an  agent.  This  rude  blast  of  fortune  he  met  un- 
complainingly. The  next  year  was  occupied  in  read- 
ing law  with  determined  application.  He  earned  a 
meagre  living,  meantime,  by  copying  outside  of  study 
hours. 

With  delicate  sensitiveness  he  concealed  from  every 
one  his  struggle  Avith  poverty.  "During  all  that  time 
he  never  slept  in  a  bed — never  ate  with  friends  at  a 


ELMER   EPHRAIM  ELLSWORTH.  399 

social  board.  So  acute  was  his  sense  of  honor,  and  his 
ideas  of  propriety,  that,  although  the  most  generous  of 
men,  he  never  would  accept  from  acquaintances  the 
slightest  favors  or  courtesies  which  he  might  be  unable 
to  return/' 

On  one  occasion,  he  accompanied  a  friend  to  a  restau- 
rant for  conversation,  but  refused  to  dine  with  him, 
though  the  aroma  of  the  repast  was  well-nigh  madden- 
ing to  his  half-famished  stomach.  "His  hearty  good 
humor  never  gave  way.  His  sense  of  honor,  which 
was  sometimes  even  fantastic  in  its  delicacy,  freed  him 
from  the  very  temptation  to  wrong.  He  knew  there 
was  a  better  time  coming  for  him.  Conscious  of  great 
mental  and  bodily  strength,  with  that  bright  lookout 
that  industry  and  honor  always  give  a  man,  he  was 
perfectly  secure  of  ultimate  success." 

One  of  his  dreams  was  the  intellectual  and  commer- 
cial conquest  of  Mexico,  with  a  grand  centre  of  opera- 
tions at  Guaymas,  from  whence  the  tonic  influence  of 
American  progress  was  to  arrest  and  rejuvenate  the 
decay  of  Mexican  nationality.  He  saw  "annexation" 
as  the  end  of  this  scheme,  but  not  through  warfare  and 
bloodshed.  It  was  rather  the  vision  of  one  who  should 
bear  "the  standard  of  the  peoples,  plunging  through 
the  thunder  storms,  till  the  war-drums  throbbed  no 
longer  and  the  battle-flags  were  furled,"  and  the  seas 
should  "fill  with  commerce — argosies  of  magic  saila>— 
pilots  of  the  purple  twilight,  dropping  down  with 
costly  bales." 

And  thus,  under  the  warm  rays  of  a  genius  like  this, 
the  Chicago  Zouaves  sprang  into  existence.  Ellsworth 
threw  aside  together,  old  uniforms  and  old  ideas.  He 
taught  his  men  a  simpler  manual  of  arms.     The  new 


400  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

uniform  was  his  invention  and  left  the  wearer  per^ 
fectly  free  in  every  movement. 

"He  drilled  these  young  men  for  about  a  year,  at 
short  intervals.  His  discipline  was  very  severe  and 
rigid.  .  .  .  The  slightest  exhibition  of  intemperance 
or  licentiousness  was  punished  by  instant  degradation 
and  expulsion.  He  struck  from  the  rolls  at  one  time 
twelve  of  his  best  men,  for  breaking  the  rule  of  total 
abstinence.  His  moral  power  over  them  was  perfect 
and  absolute.  .  .  .  Any  one  of  them  would  have  died 
for  him!" 

In  several  other  towns  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  he 
had  companies  under  drill.  In  Springfield  and  Rock- 
ford  he  was  especially  appreciated.  At  Rockford  he 
formed  an  acquaintance  with  a  young  lady,  which  re- 
sulted in  betrothal  and  gave  to  the  tragedy  of  subse- 
quent events  a  touch  of  subdued  romance. 

"His  company  took  the  premium  colors  at  the 
United  States  Agricultural  Fair,  and  Ellsworth  thought 
it  was  time  to  show  the  people  some  fruit  of  his  drill. 
They  issued  their  soldierly  deji  and  started  on  their 
march  of  triumph.  .  .  .  Hardly  had  they  left  the  sub- 
urbs of  Chicago,  when  the  murmur  of  applause  began. 
New  York,  secure  in  the  championship  of  half  a  cen- 
tury, listened  with  quiet,  metropolitan  scorn  to  the  noise 
of  the  shouting  provinces;  but  when  the  crimson 
phantasms  marched  out  of  the  Park  on  the  evening  of 
the  fifteenth  of  July,  New  York,  with  metropolitan 
magnanimity,  confessed  herself  utterly  vanquished. .  .  . 
There  was  no  resisting  the  Zouaves." 

At  an  exhibition  given  at  the  Academy  of  Music, 
that  hall  was  filled  to  overflowing,  by  the  elite  of  the 
city,  and  on  their  departure,  they  were  "magnificently 


ELMER  EPRRAIM  ELLSWORTH.  401 

entertained  at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  by  the  Second 
Company,  National  Guard."  ^^At  Boston,  Philadelphia, 
Washington  and  the  other  cities  visited  they  were  re- 
ceived with  marked  favor,"  and  the  Ellsworth  Zouaves 
were  rapidly  acquiring  an  enviable  repute. 

After  the  completion  of  their  journey,  Ellsworth 
entered  the  law  office  of  Lincoln,  at  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, and  in  the  ensuing  campaign  became  a  popular 
partisan  of  that  presidential  candidate.  In  the  heat 
of  the  canvass,  his  law  studies  could  not  receive  undi- 
vided attention,  and  when  the  newly-elected  President 
went  to  the  capitol  for  inauguration,  Ellsworth  was 
one  of  the  chosen  few  forming  the  presidential  escort. 
"On  that  journey  he  was  the  life  and  spirit  of  the 
party." 

Encouraged  by  Lincoln,  he  endeavored  to  perfect 
his  schemes  for  military  reform  through  the  War  De- 
partment; but  jubo  as  he  became  disgusted  with  the 
office-hunting  and  abasement  of  principle  rife  at 
Washington,  Sumter  was  attacked  and  at  once  he  sprang 
to  action.     That  action  thrilled  the  nation. 

The  lieutenant's  commission,  which  he  had  received 
from  Lincoln  in  the  hope  of  forwarding  his  plans,  he 
now  returned  to  the  War  Department,  and  was  soon 
en  route  for  New  York  to  raise  a  regiment  among  the 
New  York  firemen.  This  was  accomplished  with  mar- 
vellous celerity.  In  two  days  after  he  went  to  the 
chief  of  the  fire  department  and  issued  his  call  for  vol- 
unteers, twelve  hundred  recruits  ,had  enrolled  their 
names.  Selecting  ten  companies,  he  went  to  Fort 
Hamilton  to  drill.  He  labored  there  with  enthusiasm, 
night  and  day,  and  in  less  than  three  weeks  took  his 
regiment  to  Washington.     New  York  was  enthusiastic 


402  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

over  her  Fire  Zouaves,  and  three  stands  of  colors  were 
presented  to  them.  The  first  was  the  gift  of  the  city; 
the  second  was  from  Mrs.  Augusta  Astor,  presented  by 
Hon.  John  A.  Dix,  and  the  third  was  presented  by 
Mr.  Stetson  in  the  name  of  the  ladies  of  the  Astor 
House. 

Ellsworth  "divided  his  regiment,  according  to  his 
own  original  idea,  into  groups  of  four  comrades  each, 
for  the  campaign.  He  exercised  a  personal  supervision 
over  the  most  important  and  most  trivial  minutiae  of 
the  regimental  business.  The  quick  sympathy  of  the 
public  still  followed  him.  He  became  the  idol  of  the 
Bowery  and  the  pet  of  the  Avenue.  Yet  not  one  in- 
stant did  he  waste  in  recreation  or  lionizing.  Indulgent 
to  all  others,  he  was  merciless  to  himself.  He  worked 
day  and  night,  like  an  incarnation  of  energy.  Wheu 
he  arrived  with  his  men  in  Washington,  he  was  thin, 
hoarse,  flushed,  but  entirely  contented  and  happy,  be- 
cause busy  and  useful." 

The  succeeding  weeks  were  filled  with  continued  and 
unceasing  industry.  Everything  went  well  in  the 
hopeful,  brave-spirited  Zouave  camp.  On  the  fateful 
night  of  the  twenty-third  of  May,  Ellsworth  called 
his  men  together  and  addressed  them  in  a  brief,  stir- 
ring speech — announcing  their  orders  to  advance  on 
Alexandria.  When  silence  again  hovered  over  the 
camp,  he  completed  the  business  arrangements  of  the 
regiment,  and  at  midnight,  in  his  tent  by  the  Potomac, 
wrote  two  letters ;  one  to  his  parents,  in  which  he  com- 
municated the  impending  advance  and  the  possibilities 
of  personal  injury.  "Whatever  may  happen,"  he  con- 
cludes, "cherish  the  consolation  that  I  was  engaged  in 
the  performance  of  a  sacred  duty;  and  to-night,  think- 


ELMER  EPHRAIM  ELLSWORTH.  403 

ing  over  the  probabilities  of  to-morrow,  and  the  occur- 
rences of  the  past,  I  am  perfectly  content  to  accept 
whatever  my  fortune  may  be,  confident  that  He  who 
noteth  even  the  fall  of  a  sparrow,  will  have  some  pur- 
pose, even  in  the  fate  of  one  like  me. 

*^My  darling  and  ever-loved  parents,  good-bye. 
God  bless,  protect  and  care  for  you.  "  Elmer." 

The  other  letter  was  written  to  his  beloved,  and  the 
tender  message  is  forever  veiled  from  all  eyes  save  those 
for  whom  it  was  written. 

The  dread  tragedy  that  followed  was  sad  without 
relief.  Ellsworth's  regiment  crossed  the  river  in  steam- 
boats that  night,  and  on  learning  that  the  place  had 
surrendered  without  resistance  to  the  terms  proposed  by 
the  Pawnee^  then  anchored  in  the  Potomac  off  Alex- 
andria, Ellsworth  proceeded,  with  a  detachment  of  the 
first  company,  to  take  possession  of  the  telegraph  and 
stop  railroad  communication.  While  on  this  mission, 
the  flag  floating  from  the  Marshall  House  arrested  his 
attention.  He  entered  with  his  party  and  asked  what 
flag  it  was  of  a  man  whom  he  met  in  his  shirt  and 
pantaloons.  This  was  James  T.  Jackson,  the  pro- 
prietor. The  man  professed  to  know  nothing  of  it. 
Ellsworth  ran  up-stairs  to  the  roof,  cut  down  the  flag, 
and  was  descending  the  narrow  stairway  again,  when 
some  one — it  proved  to  be  Jackson — sprang  from  a 
dark  corner  and  discharged  a  double-barrelled  fowling- 
piece  full  into  his  breast.  The  shot  drove  into  his 
heart  a  gold  circlet — one  of  his  presentations — inscribed 
with  the  legend,  "  Non  nobis,  sed  pro  patria.^' 

One  who  was  with  him  at  that  fatal  moment  says : 
"  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  look  to  our  dead 


404        HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

leader.  .  .  .  The  chaplain  turned  him  gently  over,  and 
I  stooped  and  called  his  name  aloud,  at  which  I  thought 
that  he  murmured  inarticulately.  I  presume  I  was 
mistaken,  and  I  am  not  sure  that  he  spoke  a  word 
after  being  struck.  Winser  and  I  lifted  the  body  with 
all  care,  and  laid  it  upon  a  bed  in  a  room  near  by. 
The  rebel  flag,  stained  with  his  blood,  we  laid  about 
his  feet.  .  .  .  His  expression  in  death  was  beautifully 
natural.  .  .  .  Excepting  the  pallor,  there  was  nothing 
different  in  his  countenance  now  from  what  all  his 
friends  had  so  lately  been  accustomed  to  gladly  recog- 
nize.^' 

His  assassin  met  almost  instant  death  at  the  hands 
of  private  Brownell,  who  was  coming  down  the 
stairway  in  front  of  Ellsworth.  When  the  remainder 
of  the  party  came  up,  a  litter  of  muskets  was  made, 
and  the  soldiers  bore  their  beloved  leader  sorrowfully 
to  the  steamer.  After  reaching  the  Navy  Yard,  his 
body  was  taken  to  the  engine-house,  which  was 
draped  in  mourning.  But  President  Lincoln  had  him 
removed  to  the  East  Room  of  the  White  House,  and 
there,  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  May,  the  funeral  obsequies 
were  pronounced.  The  remains  were  borne  to  the 
depot,  followed  by  the  President  and  his  cabinet,  amid 
the  tolling  of  bells  and  universal  grief. 

At  New  York  he  lay  in  state  in  the  governor's  room, 
jmd  a  funeral  procession  of  immense  length  threaded 
its  way  through  crowds  that  almost  defied  computa- 
tion, to  the  steamer  that  was  to  bear  him  to  his  early 
home.  At  Albany,  a  similar  testimonial  of  grief  took 
expression,  and  while  he  lay  within  the  shadow  of  the 
Capitol,  an  organization  called  ^^The  Ellsworth  Aven- 
gers/' rapidly  formed  itself.     Arrived  at  Mechanics- 


ELMER  EPHBAIM  ELLSWORTH.  405 

ville,  at  last,  tlie  martyred  dead  was  given  to  hia 
agonized  parents,  and,  amid  the  fury  of  a  raging  storm 
which  beat  into  his  open  grave— as  if  the  very  element^ 
wept  their  wild  sorrow — the  body  was  committed  to  its 
long  resting-place. 

The  excitement  which  followed  the  tragedy  was  very 
great  throughout  the  country,  and  his  name  became  a 
rallying  cry  for  thousands.  The  grief  of  the  Presi- 
dent, who  was  tenderly  attached  to  Ellsworth,  was 
touching  in  the  extreme.  A  gentleman,  in  company 
with  Senator  Wilson,  who  called  to  see  Lincoln  on  the 
morning  of  the  shooting,  found  him  "  standing  before 
a  window,  looking  out  across  the  Potomac.  He  did 
not  move  till  they  approached  very  closely,  when  he 
turned  round  abruptly  and  advanced  towards  them, 
extending  his  hand.  'Excuse  me,'  he  said,  'but  I 
cannot  talk.'  He  burst  into  tears  and  concealed  his 
face  in  his  handkerchief  Then,  for  some  moments,  he 
walked  up  and  down  the  room,  and  they  stepped  aside 
in  silence,  not  a  little  moved  at  such  an  unusual  spec- 
tacle, in  such  a  man,  in  such  a  place." 

A  New  York  city  paper  spoke  of  him  as  follows : — • 
"  It  is  about  a  month  since  a  young  man  of  soldierly 
bearing,  of  an  unusually  fine  physique,  of  frank  and 
attractive  manners,  and  of  great  intelligence,  called  on 
us  on  the  day  of  his  arrival  from  Washington,  to  state 
his  wishes  and  purposes  in  relation  to  raising  a  regi- 
ment among  the  New  York  firemen.  A  fortnight 
later  we  saw  him  on  his  way  to  embark  for  Washing- 
ton at  the  head  of  his  men,  and  escorted  by  the  most 
imposing  procession  this  city  has  ever  witnessed.  This 
man  was  Colonel  Ellsworth,  of  the  Firemen  Zouaves. 
*  I  want/  he  said,  '  the  New  York  firemen ;  for  there 


406  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

are  no  more  effective  men  in  the  country,  and  none 
with  whom  I  can  do  so  much.  They  are  sleeping  on 
a  volcano  at  Washington/  he  added,  ^  and  I  want  men 
who  can  go  into  a  fight  now.^  The  impression  he  made 
upon  us  was  that  of  a  fearless,  gallant  and  energetic 
man,  one  of  those  possessed  of  .  .  .  powers  that  es- 
pecially fit  them  to  be  leaders  among  men.  In  him  we 
think  the  country  has  lost  a  very  valuable  life." 

Ellsworth  was,  in  all  respects,  remarkable;  not  only 
in  his  genius  as  a  soldier  and  reformer  of  military 
ethics,  but  in  his  beautiful  symmetry  of  character.  The 
light  which  he  transmits  is  not  merely  the  burning 
halo  surrounding  the  brow  of  the  hero,  but  that  of  a 
pure  and  complete  manhood  in  which  are  clustered  all 
the  virtues,  added  to  a  sublime  scorn  of  everything 
ignoble.  We  approach  the  unforgotten  altar  of  his 
memory  as  would  those  who  draw  near  a  sacred  shrine 
to  lay  upon  it  the  mute  worship  of  their  odorous  flow- 
ers ;  and  we  accord  him  the  chivalrous  love  due  a  true 
knight  of  truth — a  love  akin  to  that  which  women 
lavish  upon  their  bravest  ideals.  To  us  he  can  never 
grow  old,  nor  change.  The  same  radiant  face  will 
always  be  looking  down  on  us  from  its  white  aura  of 
clouds,  and  though  gallant  ones  innumerable  come  to 
claim  our  admiration  and  affection,  in  all  the  long  roll 
of  honor  given  by  the  clarion  of  war,  there  will  be  but 
one  Ellsworth ! 


CHAPTER  XXXrX. 
ED^?VrARD    DICKINSON    BAKER. 

The  English  Boy  on  American  Shores. — Early  Struggles. — Oflf  for 
the  West. — Efforts  as  a  Young  Lawyer  in  Springfield. — Congres- 
sional Honors. — Leadership  on  the  Forura. — In  the  Mexican 
War. — Kemoval  to  the  Pacific  Coast. — Popularity  as  an  Advocate. 
— Oration  over  Broderick. — Sent  to  the  United  States  Senate  from 
Oregon. — Union  Square  Speech. — Organization  of  the  California 
Kegiment— To  the  Front.— Ball's  Bluff.— Last  Scenes. 

COLONEL  BAKER  began  life  as  an  humble 
English  boy,  and  was  a  marked  illustration  of 
that  class  of  men  who  create  their  own  destinies. 
His  type  radiates  a  full-orbed  splendor.  The  obstacles 
which  beset  him  in  his  early  career  only  further 
demonstrated  the  force  of  a  genius  which  pushed 
aside  every  difficulty  in  its  upward  path.  Only  five 
years  old — a  mere  infant — when  he  first  set  foot  on 
these  American  shores ;  his  father — himself  a  Quaker 
— settled  in  the  Quaker  City  of  Philadelphia,  and 
then,  in  a  few  years,  died.  Edward  and  a  younger 
brother  were  thrown  upon  their  own  resources,  penni- 
less and  alone,  among  strangers.  The  brave  young 
lad  managed  to  obtain  work  as  a  weaver's  apprentice, 
in  a  small  shop  in  South  Street,  and  on  the  meagre 
earnings  from  this  source,  supported  himself  and  his 
brother. 

Passionately  fond  of  reading,  he  delved  into  litera- 
ture of  all  kinds,  not  passing  by  the  alluring  pages  of 
romantic  fiction.     Through   these  slow  years  of  for- 

(407) 


408       HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

mative  growth,  he  worked  faithfully,  never  tiring, 
ever  patient.  But  no  one  dreamed  that  under  that 
quiet  exterior  of  modest  endeavor,  a  volcano  of  genius 
burned  in  silence,  throbbing  with  a  wild  longing  to 
break  through  the  crust  of  its  monotonous  existence 
into  wider  and  more  native  fields  of  action. 

The  two  young  brothers  became  drawn  in  their 
desires  towards  the  land  of  the  wild  west,  and  after  some 
consultations  and  boyish  but  strong  resolves,  set  out  on 
foot  over  the  Alleghanies.  They  took  nothing  with 
them  but  packs  upon  their  shoulders  and  staffs  in 
their  hands;  and  thus  equipped,  jjerseveringly  jour- 
neyed towards  the  setting  sun. 

At  last  they  reached,  what  was  then  known  as  the 
Far  West,  the  prairie  State  of  Illinois.  Springfield  was 
the  chosen  spot  for  their  residence,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  boy-weaver,  who  had  read  law  as  well  as 
romance  in  the  Quaker  City,  was  quite  able  to  make  a 
living  under  the  shield  of  that  profession.  His  ready 
gift  of  silvery  eloquence  aided  him  so  well  that  he 
rose  rapidly,  and  as  rapidly  became  known  as  a  pop- 
ular advocate. 

He  entered  the  arena  of  politics,  ardently  espoused 
the  Whig  faction,  and  soon  his  star  was  seen  glim- 
mering and  flashing  in  the  halls  of  Congress.  The 
honor  which  he  reflected  on  his  constituency  in  the 
legislative  assemblies  of  the  nation  was  of  that  lustre 
which  might  well  make  the  wearer  proud. 

When  the  surges  of  war  in  Mexico  touched  our 
shores.  Baker  raised  a  regiment  in  Illinois  and  took  it 
to  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

From  Vera  Cruz  to  the  city  of  Mexico  his  glorious 
valor  shone  at  the  head  of  his  command,  and  when 


EDWABD  DICKINSON  BAKER.  409 

Shields  fell  at  Cerro  Gordo,  Baker  became  the  leader 
of  the  New  York  regiments  through  that  bloody 
baptism 

On  his  return  from  the  wars,  battle-scarred  and 
glorious,  he  was  once  more  sent  to  Congress,  where  he 
remained  until  1850.  His  oration  on  the  death  of 
President  Taylor  was  one  of  the  finest  given  at  that 
time  of  universal  grief. 

After  a  return  from  Panama,  where  he  had  tarried 
a  while,  the  fascinations  of  the  Californian  coast  drew 
him  to  the  charmed  land  of  the  Pacific  slope,  where,  in 
San  Francisco,  he  at  once  took  a  high  position  as  an 
advocate.  Here,  through  years  of  successful  pleading 
and  an  active  life  as  a  public  man,  especially  a  public 
speaker,  he  won  the  hearts  of  the  populace.  His 
name  was  on  everybody's  lips,  and  everybody  hung 
with  delight  on  the  honied  eloquence  which  dropped 
from  his  own.  He  was  reckoned  a  latter-day  Demos- 
thenes, and  acquired  the  cognomen  of  the  "Gray 
Eagle." 

But  it  was  over  the  coffin  of  Broderick,  who  fell  a 
victim  to  his  anti-slavery  sentiments,  that  Baker 
reached  an  almost  unparalleled  climax  of  eloquence, 
and  thrilled  the  listening  crowds  as  it  is  given  to  few 
men  to  do.  The  gathered  multitude  was  swayed  like 
the  innumerable  leaves  of  a  mighty  forest  by  a  strong 
and  mournful  wind.  It  was  the  wail  of  a  noble  soul  for 
a  brother,  dead.  All  business  on  the  streets  was  sus- 
pended. Everywhere  an  ominous  stillness  prevailed, 
save  for  the  slow  tolling  of  the  church  bells  which 
seemed  to  pulsate  in  space  like  the  despairing  throbs 
of  a  great  heart.  The  people  assembled  in  the  main 
square,  and  with  sad  faces  were  silent  or  conversed  in 


410       HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS. 

undertones.  The  shrouded  coffin  was  there ;  at  its 
foot  a  priest ;  at  its  head  the  tall  form  of  the  pale 
orator.  For  minutes  after  the  audience  became  quite 
still,  Baker  did  not  speak.  His  look  was  not  in  the 
coffin  of  his  friend,  but  his  eyes  were  streaming  with 
tears.  At  length  when  the  silence  was  almost  painful 
in  its  intensity  his  voice  rose  like  a  wail,  and  then  an 
uninterrupted  torrent  of  burning  words  of  lofty  pathos 
was  poured  forth  with  such  all-powerful  effect  on  the 
hearts  of  the  sorrowing  assembly,  that  every  cheek 
was  wet  with  responsive  tears.  "  For  an  hour  he  held 
them  as  with  a  spell,"  and  when  with  outstretched 
hands  he  leaned  over  the  coffined  body  of  the  dead 
and  pronounced  the  closing  words :  "  Good  friend ! 
true  hero !  hail  and  farewell ! "  the  vast  audience 
sobbed  aloud. 

This  event  and  the  mockery  of  a  trial  which 
followed,  fell  with  such  sad  effect  on  Baker  that  he 
resolved  to  leave  the  coast. 

The  progressive  political  element  in  Oregon  at  this 
crisis  wanted  a  champion,  and  the  choice  of  that 
faction  at  once  fell  on  Baker.  He  went  to  Oregon, 
settled  there,  and  with  heart  and  soul  worked  against 
the  Breckenridge  Democracy.  He  was  defeated  in 
sending  his  man  to  Congress,  but  the  legislature  of 
Oregon  was  so  strongly  anti-administration  that  Baker 
was  sent  to  the  United  States  Senate  to  represent  that 
State.  His  record  here,  though  brief,  was  one  of 
power  and  splendor. 

When  the  struggle  with  Secession  arose,  "  the  Union 
at  all  hazards,"  became  his  motto.  His  reply  to 
Benjamin  of  Louisiana,  the  delivery  of  which  occupied 
two  afternoon  sessions,  was  memorable  for  its  exhaust- 


EDWARD  DICKINSON  BAKER.  411 

ive  arguments  against  Secession,  and  its  forcible  expo- 
sition of  Union  principles. 

Great  occasions  always  called  out  in  him  an  immense 
reserve  force  that  swept  his  audiences  with  resistless 
power.  At  such  times  he  shone  like  a  mighty  star 
with  fierce  and  burning  strength.  At  the  great 
meeting  in  New  York,  which  filled  Union  Square 
with  thousands  of  people,  in  April,  1861,  Baker's 
passionate  eloquence,  which  echoed  a  far  deeper  patri- 
otism, held  the  audience  with  the  touch  of  a  master 
hand.  The  dense  crowd  shook  visibly  when  the 
closing  words  of  this  great  speech  rang  out  upon  the 
air : 

"And  if  from  the  far  Pacific  a  voice,  feebler  than 
the  feeblest  murmur  upon  its  shore,  may  be  heard  to 
give  you  courage  and  hope  in  the  contest,  that  voice  is 
yours  to-day ;  and  if  a  man  whose  hair  is  gray,  who 
is  well-nigh  worn  out  in  the  battle  and  toil  of  life, 
may  pledge  himself  on  such  an  occasion,  and  in  such 
an  audience,  let  me  say — as  my  last  word — that,  as 
when,  amidst  sheeted  fire  and  flame,  I  saw  and  led  the 
hosts  of  New  York,  as  they  charged  in  contest  upon  a 
foreign  soil,  for  the  honor  of  your  flag— so  again,  if 
Providence  shall  will  it,  this  feeble  hand  shall  draw  a 
sword  never  yet  dishonored,  not  to  fight  for  distant 
honor  in  a  foreign  land,  but  to  fight  for  country,  for 
home,  for  law,  for  Government,  for  Constitution,  for 
night,  for  freedom,  for  humanity,  and  in  the  hope  that 
the  banner  of  my  country  may  advance,  and  where- 
soever that  banner  waves,  there  glory  may  pursue  and 
freedom  be  established ! '' 

Baker  immediately  recruited  the  California  Eegi- 
ment,  and  was  offered  an  appointment  as  brigadier- 
25 


412  HEROES  OF  THREE   WARS. 

general.  This  and  the  rank  of  major-general,  which 
was  also  offered  him,  he  declined,  preferring  to  go 
with  his  regiment  as  its  Colonel. 

His  final  effort  in  the  Senate,  previous  to  the  last 
tragic  scenes  at  the  front,  was  made  when  he  replied 
to  Breckenridge  in  a  Secession  speech.  Baker  had 
entered  the  Senate  chamber  from  his  drill  camp,  two 
miles  out,  while  the  southern  disuuionist  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  partisan  harangue.  His  reply  was  im- 
promptu, but  it  finished  his  antagonist,  and  was 
accounted  one  of  the  most  "  thrilling  speeches  heard  in 
the  chamber  for  years." 

The  cloud  of  his  overhanging  fate  seemed  to  make 
its  shadow  visibly  felt  to  him  before  it  came.  This 
impression  was  so  strong  that  it  amounted  to  positive 
conviction.  In  August  he  said  to  a  friend :  "  I  am 
certain  I  shall  not  live  through  this  war,  and  if  my 
troops  should  show  any  want  of  resolution,  I  shall  fall 
in  the  first  battle.  I  cannot  afford,  after  my  career  in 
Mexico  and  as  a  Senator  of  the  United  States,  to  turn 
my  face  from  the  enemy.'' 

During  his  last  visit  to  Washington,  a  few  days 
previous  to  the  battle  of  BalFs  Bluff,  a  lady  presented 
him  with  some  flowers.  "Very  beautiful,"  he 
remarked,  on  taking  them ;  "  these  flowers  and  my 
memory  will  wither  together."  He  put  his  papers  in 
order  and  gave  special  directions  to  his  friend.  Colonel 
Webb,  concerning  final  arrangements  in  case  he  did 
not  return. 

Then  came,  on  October  twenty-first,  1861,  the 
terrible  tragedy  of  Ball's  Bluff,  when  the  Potomac 
became  gory  with  heroic  blood,  and  the  overwhelming 
numbers  of  the  enemy  crowded  the  brave  remnant  of 


EDWABD  DICKINSON  BAKER  413 

Baker's  and  other  regiments  down  upon  the  river's 
bank,  there  to  make  a  last  desperate  stand  or  a  more 
desperate  and  fruitless  attempt  to  cross  the  river  with- 
out means  of  transpoitation.  Some  one  had  blun- 
dered. But  theirs  was  not  to  reason  why.  It  was 
theirs  only  to  meet  doath  like  dauntless  patriots 
unquestioning  to  the  end.  A  demonstration  looking 
to  the  capture  of  Leesburg  had  been  determined  upon, 
a  general  reconnoissance  was  taking  place,  and  the 
point  of  crossing  for  the  California  Regiment  was  at 
Conrad's  Ferry.  Once  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river, 
Baker  put  his  men  in  line  awaiting  attack,  and  the 
first  onset  was  met  with  spirited  determination. 

The  battle  had  been  raging  for  an  hour  and  over 
when  Colonel  Baker  fell  at  the  head  of  his  command 
while  cheering  on  his  troops.  A  few  minutes  previous 
he  had  been  surrounded  by  a  body  of  Confederate 
cavalry  and  taken  prisoner,  only  to  be  recaptured  by 
his  own  men  in  a  bayonet  charge  made  by  the  right 
wing  of  the  battalion.  The  fatal  ball  which  sped  him 
on  his  eternal  exit  was  fired  by  a  "tall,  ferocious 
Virginian  with  red  hair  and  whiskers,"  who  rushed 
from  behind  a  tree  with  a  huge  revolver  in  his  hand, 
and  "placing  the  weapon  almost  against  the  Colonel's 
head  inflicted  a  mortal  wound.  Not  satisfied  with  his 
deadly  work  he  fired  the  second  ball,  while  simultan- 
eously the  body  was  pierced  with  four  bullets  from  the 
tops  of  trees,  and  the  brave  leader  fell  lifeless  from 
his  horse." 

The  assassin,  like  the  murderer  of  Ellsworth,  was 
instantly  shot  dead. 

A  flank  movement  had  been  made  by  tlie  enemy  to 
turn  the  Union  line,  just  previous  to  the  death  scene. 


/ 


414  HEROES  OF  THREE  WARS, 

and  Baker  at  once  ordered  the  freshly  arrived  Tam- 
many Regiment  to  meet  it.  It  was  while  leading  this 
charge  that  he  fell — ten  feet  in  advance  of  his  column. 
And  thus  went  out  in  blood  and  battle,  another  noble 
life— a  victim  to  the  merciless  Juggernaut  of  war.  If 
one  could  arise  to  pronounce  his  eulogy  as  silvery- 
tongued  as  that  voice  whose  music  is  forever  mute,  a 
fit  apostrophe  might  be  made  to  a  hero  whom  we  love 
to  honor.  His  own  passionate  farewell  over  the  body 
of  Broderick,  pallid  in  death,  can  be  spoken  with 
reverent  affection  here.  If  lives  like  his,  altogether 
noble,  or  sacrifices  like  his,  altogether  glorious,  are  not 
lost  on  a  world  too  grasping  in  its  greed  of  gain,  then 
surely  the  human  soil  which  felt  his  influence  must  be 
fruitful  indeed  in  all  that  is  good  I 


TESTIMONIALS. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  NOTICES  OF  THE  PRESS. 

Boston  Traveller. 
"Heroes  of  Three  Wars,"  by  the  author  of  "Battles  for  the  Union,"  and  other 
works,  is  an  iutensely  interesting  volume,  and  will  be  welcomed  by  the  reading 
public  as  a  most  valuable  contribution  to  the  military  history  of  our  country. 

Philadelphia  Times. 

The  Boldier-author  does  his  work  in  an  artless,  patriotic,  beautiful  style,  and  gives 
to  his  readers  a  real  and  not  an  imaginary  idea  of  army  life  in  all  its  lights  and 
shades.  Captain  Glazier  has  laid  his  countrymen  under  lasting  obligations  to  him, 
especially  in  his  now  book,  "  Heroes  of  Three  Wars." 

Washington  Chronicle. 

"Heroes  of  Three  Wars"  is  written  in  a  graphic  style,  and  its  thrilling  delinea- 
tions of  many  of  the  most  important  events  of  the  Revolution,  and  our  great  strug- 
gle for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  cannot  fail  to  interest  those  who  love  their 
country,  and  glory  in  the  achievements  of  its  brave  and  victorious  defenders. 

Norristown  Herald. 
It  is  just  the  book  for  a  winter  evening.    It  inspires  a  spirit  of  patriotism,  and 
gives  a  duo  appreciation  of  the  labors  and  sufferings — and  sometimes  the  more 
cheerful  and  fun-provoking  experiences — of  those  who  engaged  in  the  great  strug- 
gles for  the  nation's  life  and  honor. 

New  York  Herald. 
Captain  Glazier  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  writers  who  has  added  a  contribution 
to  our  war  literature.  He  takes  you  through  the  vividness  of  his  descriptions  into 
the  very  scenes  which  he  portrays.  "  Heroes  of  Three  Wars"  cannot  fail  to  inter- 
est every  reader,  and  we  predict  for  its  sale  a  success  unprecedented  in  the  book 
trade. 

Pittsburgh  Gazette. 
The  nature  of  this  book  is  very  forcibly  expressed  in  the  title  page.  The  writer 
wields  a  graphic  pen.  In  the  statement  of  facts  he  is  painstaking  and  conscientious. 
Commencing  with  Washington,  forty  subjects  are  presented.  The  writer  has  the 
vivacity  which  is  so  essential  in  the  composition  of  a  work  of  this  character.  On» 
Is  oftea  thrilled  aa  the  panorama  of  war  passes  before  his  mind. 

(415) 


416  TESTIMONIALS. 

Harrisburg  Patriot. 
In  his  now  book  the  soldier-author  introduces  forty  of  the  most  illustrious  names 
in  the  history  of  our  country.  The  work  is  in  fact  a  record  of  the  privations,  heroic 
deeds  and  glorious  triumphs  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Union,  and  contains  a  fund  of 
information  not  found  in  any  other  volume.  Captain  Glazier  was  a  good  soldier, 
and  in  the  presentation  of  his  subjects  wields  a  graceful  pen. 

Syracuse  Courier. 
The  book  is  perfectly  reliable  as  history,  with  none  of  the  dullness  incident  tn 
most  history.  Dates  and  data  are  given,  but  they  are  not  marched  before  you  in 
Blow  and  solemn  procession,  like  the  animals  from  Noah's  ark,  nor  piled  up  in 
monumental  array  for  you  to  laboriously  master.  On  the  contrary,  the  sketches  are 
80  si)irited  as  to  hold  the  attention  of  the  reader  from  the  opening  to  the  cloning 
chapter. 

Toledo  Blade. 

This  is  a  book  which  will  never  lose  its  interest  so  long  as  principle  is  considered 
worthy  of  human  sacrifice,  and  men  and  women  continue  to  admire  deeds  of  hero- 
ism performed  in  their  defense.  It  is  a  work  of  special  interest  at  the  present  time 
to  all  who  took  part  in  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  late  war,  and  to  the  friends  and 
relatives  of  those  who  suffered  and  endured  for  the  cause  of  the  Union,  and  so 
many  of  whom  laid  down  their  lives  in  its  behalf. 

Troy  Times. 
Captain  Glazier  writes  with  a  full  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  subjects  intro- 
duced, and  his  thrilling  sketches  have  all  the  vividness  wliich  none  but  a  soldier 
and  a  participant  in  such  scenes  could  give  them.  Simple  in  style,  compact  in  rQat< 
ter,  and  vigorous  in  treatment,  the  book  just  meets  the  want  of  a  large  class  of  peo 
pie  who  have  no  time  for  consulting  the  ponderous  volumes  which  are  too  often 
imposed  upon  the  indulgence  of  a  generous  public. 

Buffalo  Courier. 

The  author,  himself  a  gallant  soldier,  writes  of  the  exciting  contests  and  the  perils 
of  the  brave  men  who  took  part  in  them  with  the  ardor  of  a  genuine  participant 
The  scenes  of  the  bloody  field  are  each  so  vividly  described  that  we  seem  in  reading 
of  them  to  see  the  great  conflicts  of  our  three  wars  as  in  a  panorama,  and  there  is 
not  a  page  which  is  not  intensely  interesting  from  the  opening  to  the  closing 
chapter. 

Cincinnati  Enquirer, 

Captain  Glazier  rises  above  the  conventional  "war  writer's"  idioms,  and  gives 
his  woik  a  place  in  literature  and  history.  Here  is  found  the  stern  actuality  of 
war's  fearful  tug ;  here  the  beautiful  pathos  of  pure  manly  sentiment  flowing  from 
the  heart  of  many  a  bravo  soul  on  the  battle's  eve;  here  the  scenes  of  sad  and 
solemn  burial  where  warriors  weep.  The  din  of  battle  on  one  page,  and  the  jest  at 
peril  past  upon  the  next — the  life  test  and  the  comedy  of  camp — these  alternatingly 
checker  the  work  over  and  give  the  reader  a  truer  insight  into  the  perils  and  priva- 
tions of  our  brave  defenders  than  any  book  we  have  read. 

Ballimore  Sun. 
"Heroes  of  Three  Wars"  is  written  by  the  masterly  hand  of  one  who  has  evi- 
dently enjoyed  a  personal  acquaintance  with  many  of  the  subjects  introduced,  and 


TESTIMONIALS.  417 

is  not  only  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  his  work,  but  as  thoroughly  inspires 
his  readers.  Captain  Glazier  has  familiarized  himself  with  all  of  the  details  of 
interest  in  the  lives  of  a  grand  galaxy  of  heroes,  and  has  put  on  paper  in  a  con- 
densed and  graphic  form  a  clear  picture  of  what  he  haa  treasured  up  in  his  own 
mind.  We  know  of  no  book  that  contains  so  faithful  a  presentation  of  our  brav« 
defenders  in  so  condensed  and  satisfactory  a  form. 

Albany  Argus. 

The  clearness  and  vigor  of  its  style,  together  with  its  graphic  and  truthful 
sketches  of  the  renowned  soldiers  presented,  will  render  it  famous  from  the  Atlan- 
tic to  the  Pacific.  The  writer  was  one  of  the  first  to  enlist  and  served  to  the  close 
of  the  war  of  the  great  Rebellion,  being  promoted  to  a  captaincy  for  gallant  and 
heroic  conduct  on  the  battle-fields  of  Virginia,  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  The 
book  should  be  in  every  household  in  thff  land,  for  the  occasional  perusal  of  its 
pages  will  serve  to  keep  green  in  recollection  those  momentous  and  bloody  strug- 
gles which  are  too  soon  buried  in  the  oblivion  of  the  past. 

Boston  Transcript, 
The  bivouac,  the  march,  the  hand-to-hand^conflict  with  bristling  steel,  the  head- 
long charge,  the  ignominious  retreat,  and  the  battle-field  after  the  bloody  assault, 
with  its  dead  and  wounded  heioes,  are  all  excellently  portrayed,  and  with  an  ease 
and  vigor  of  style  that  lend  a  peculiar  charm  to  the  book  and  riwt  the  attention 
of  the  reader  from  cover  to  cover.  It  is  really  refreshing  to  meet  with  such  a  work 
as  this  in  these  ^legenerate  days  of  namby-pamby  novels,  so  enervating  to  mind  and 
morals.  Captain  Glazier's  work  elevates  the  ideas,  and  infuses  a  spirit  of  commend- 
able patriotism  into  the  young  mind,  by  showing  the  youth  of  the  country  how 
nobly  men  could  die  for  the  principles  they  cherished  and  the  land  they  loved. 

Worcester  Spy. 
"Heroes  of  Three  Wars"  is  a  graphically  written  volume  by  no  new  candidate 
for  public  favor,  but  one  who  has  already  won  the  appreciative  admiration  of  thou- 
sands of  readers.  An  air  of  truth  which  is  of  romantic  interest  pervades  the  work, 
in  the  depiction  of  the  terribly  interesting  events  in  the  lives  of  his  famous  subjects. 
Captain  Glazier  was  an  active  participant  in  the  War  for  the  Union,  and  followed 
the  lead  of  Bayard,  Stoneman,  Pleasaiiton,  Giegg.  Custer  and  Kilpatrick.  He  por- 
traj's  the  daring  deeds  and  glorious  achievements  of  his  heroes  with  an  enthusiasm 
w  hich  fairly  enchains  the  reader,  and  makes  him  feel  for  the  time  that  he  is  either 
fighting  his  battles  over  again,  or  standing  an  awe-bound  spectator  of  the  clash  of 
armor  and  fall  of  noble  steeds  and  their  brave  riders. 

Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 
It  is  correct  in  facts,  graphic  in  its  delineations,  and  in  all  its  make-up  is  a  most 
admirable  vohime.  It  will  do  the  young  men,  and  even  those  older,  good  to  glance 
at  these  pages  and  read  anew  the  perils  and  hardships  and  sacrifices  which  have 
been  made  by  the  loyal  men  who  met  and  overthrew  in  battle  the  nation's  enemies. 
The  book  is  of  absorbing  interest  as  a  record  of  brave  deeds  by  as  brave  and  heroic 
men  as  ever  answered  a  bugle's  call.  The  author  writes  no  fancy  sketch.  He  has 
the  smoke  and  scars  of  battle  in  every  sentence.  He  answered  roll-call  and  mingled 
amid  the  exciting  events  he  relates.  No  writer,  even  the  most  praised  correspond- 
ents of  the  foreign  journals,  have  given  more  vivid  descriptions,  soul-stirring  in 
their  simple  truthfulness,  than  Captain  Glazier  in  his  "  Heroes  of  Three  Wars." 


/ 


418  TESTIMONIALS. 

Philadelphia  Enquirer. 
In  Part  Third  of  "  Heroes  of  Three  Wars,"  every  man  who  participated  in  tue 
Rebellion  can  live  over  again  the  days  of  his  soldier  life;  can  fight  side  by  side 
with  his  old  comrades;  can  charge  again  at  the  command  of  his  old  commander 
And  here  it  may  be  said  that  the  way  in  which  the  old  familiar  names  ring  out 
tliroughout  the  book  is  truly  inspiring.  The  work  will  doubtless  be  warmly 
greeted  by  one  and  all,  but  more  especially  will  it  be  welcomed  by  the  thousands 
of  isolated  farm-houses,  scattered  all  over  the  land,  from  whom  went  out  a  son  to 
fight  for  his  country.  It  will  make  delightful  reading  for  the  long  wiiiter.even- 
ings  so  soon  to  be  here.  Moreover,  it  is  a  work  that  will  not  grow  old.  It  will 
m>t  change,  like  the  majority  of  books,  with  the  fashion.  Its  subject  is  one  that 
cannot  bo  encroached  upon. 

New  York  Tribune. 
Captain  Glazier's  preceding  works  have  gained  him  a  wide  fame,  and  in  the 
present  volume  he  has  certainly  lost  none  of  the  vigor,  strength  and  power  which 
characterizes  his  former  writings.  His  style  is  easy  and  natural,  and  yet  thrilling 
and  graphic  in  the  extreme.  As  he  writes  in  Part  Third  of  the  new  work,  he  wit- 
nesses again  the  scenes  through  which  he  passed  with  his  famous  subjects  during 
the  Rebellion,  and  his  facile  pen  at  once  and  with  peculiar  fidelity  transfers  the 
mental  picture  to  the  page  before  him.  It  is  a  wonderful  power,  and  one  which 
few  men  posses%  to  be  able  to  carry  with  them  through  life  the  scenes  of  former 
years,  and  reproduce  them  at  will  for  the  pleasure  of  their  readers.  Captain  Glazier 
demonstrates  this  fine  gift  with  admirable  force,  and  the  fascinating  pages  before  us 
are  a  moving,  breathing  panorama  of  the  great  struggles  and  heroic  sacrifices  for 
the  preservation  of  the  Union. 


AGENTS  WANTED ! 

^es^-Tliis  book  is  sold  principally  by  Subscription  ! 

And  we  want  an  Agent  in  every  town  and  county  in  the  United  States  and  British 
Provinces.    Our  terms  are  liberal,  and  the  profit  of  the  business  sure. 

Teachers,  ladies,  energetic  young  men,  and  especially  returned  and  disabled  oflS* 
cers  and  soldiers,  in  want  of  profitable  employment,  will  find  this  work  particularly 
adapted  to  their  condition. 

For  full  particulars,  terms,  etc.,  address 

HUBBAKD   BROTHERS, 

Philadelphia,  Chicago,  Cincinnati  or  St.  Louis. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 


0068357508 


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